


Obligation of Confidence

by danilikespandas



Series: Beg, Borrow, or Steel [2]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2019-10-19 16:06:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 41,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17604554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/danilikespandas/pseuds/danilikespandas
Summary: Nora's surrender to the Brotherhood of Steel goes as poorly as expected, and she is taken aboard the Prydwen to serve time as atonement for her disloyalty. Is her commitment to the Minutemen enough to make her face her biggest fear?





	1. Chapter 1

Nora cautiously approached the airport, laser rifle in hand. She had to talk to Elder Maxson, and she had to do it alone. If they opened fire on her for abandonment, she couldn’t handle the loss of a single companion for her own cowardice. She had to tell the Brotherhood she was leaving.   
  


The Paladin at the gate spotted her, and rushed to radio the crew before readying their weapon.   
“In the name of the Brotherhood, halt!”  
  
She dropped her weapon, and raised her hands above her head. The power-armored soldier approached her, still aiming her gun. “Elder Maxson wishes to speak with you, now. If you try to run, you will be eliminated.”    


“I’m not going anywhere, Paladin. I came here of my own volition.” Nora tried to reason. More soldiers streamed out of the gates, surrounding her.   
  
“Stay where you are, deserter!” Another voice rang out.    
  


Maxson finally emerged from behind the airport gates, and dislodged himself from his own suit of power armor. He broke the circle surrounding her, and held up a hand to signal for everyone to get back to their own business. “I hope you have a reasonable explanation as to where you’ve been for the last  _ thirty-nine _ days without my approval.”   


Nora averted his gaze, hands still above her head. “Elder, with all due respect, I believe we should have this conversation in private.”   
  
He furrowed his brow and motioned to the remainder of the group lingering around them. “Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of your brothers and sisters.”    
  


They looked back at each other, and locked in stare. “Have it your way.” She started. “I’ve been asked to lead the Commonwealth Minutemen as General, and I accepted the offer. As you can imagine, it brings me no pleasure to tell you I have no more business with the Brotherhood.”   
  
Without thinking, he grabbed her scarf and pulled her into him. “You don’t get to make that call. I don’t care if they made you Queen of the Commonwealth, when you enlisted in the Brotherhood of Steel, you made a commitment to me.” He paused, loosening his grip as his anger quickly dissipated. “You’re under arrest for desertion of your post. I hereby sentence you to thirty days of confinement, to be served aboard the Prydwen. Upon release, you’ll be discharged and relieved of your rank.”   
  
  
Two men restrained her from behind, cuffing her wrists and dragging her to the helipad. The crowd watched as she thrashed about before being strapped into the vertiberd. “You fucking coward! Fight me like a man! You need the help of your cronies to get me on your stupid fucking ship!” Arthur laughed at her vulgarity, before looking back and catching a scorching glare from Proctor Ingram. He saluted in her direction before climbing aboard the aircraft and departing for the Prydwen.  
  
“Back to your posts, you vermin!” She bellowed.   
  
  
Nora’s fighting spirit dissipated once aboard the airship. Even if she managed to break away from her captors, her only escape route would be jumping to her death. The Elder lagged behind as she was escorted to her quarters, and followed her inside. “You’re dismissed, gentlemen.”  
  
“Are you sure, Elder? We can be of further assistance if you’d like.” The bigger one prodded.   
  
Arthur puffed out his chest. "Did you just ask me if I was sure? I said dismissed!"  
The two men turned heel and shuffled away hurriedly.  
  
  
He turned to face her. “As for you, I don’t appreciate you consistently making a fool of me. Which is why I am choosing to let you resign yourself. I don’t even know where to begin with this storm of paperwork because of you!” He crescendoed.

Nora shrunk in the corner, and he paused before pinching his eyebrows together. “I’m not trying to upset you, Paladin. I just want to see things from your perspective, so that I don’t lose any more exemplary soldiers to higher loyalties. As you can imagine, I’m more than a bit cross about losing two men from finding one emissary.”  
  
“Then maybe you should consider the values of those higher loyalties in comparison to your own.” She snapped.  
  
  
He scoffed in offense. “Values such as?”  
  
“Temperance, patience, some fucking magnanimity.” She swung her shoulders about with her hands still in cuffs.  
  
He approached her, putting a finger in her face. “Are you implying that I’m a megalomaniac?” He demanded.  
  
  
She brushed past his hand, butting her chest up against his. “I’m calling you a narcissist at the very least. You don’t own me, and I don’t care about my obligations to you anymore.”  
  
“You aren’t exactly a paragon of virtue.” He started. “Commitment, integrity, and prudence are also imperative to being a well-rounded individual, but I didn’t bring you up here to hack at your faults.”  
  
  
After a moment he stuffed his hand into his pocket, removing the key for her handcuffs. “I’d like to keep you in this room, unrestrained if at all possible. Don’t make me regret that decision.”  
  
She turned around for him to uncuff her, and he tangled his fingers in her bun before slamming her body into the lockers with his own. The metal storage unit was like ice on her skin, and his elbow sat painfully between her shoulder blades. Arthur tightened his hold on her hair while squeezing her wrists together with one hand. He huffed while she squirmed against him. “And just for the record, for the next thirty days, I _do_ own you.”

Releasing her from his grip, she stepped backwards and stumbled into a sitting position on the bed before the Elder unlocked her handcuffs. “I beg you not to take this personally, Mrs. Klain. We do have a similar goal in mind, and it is my intention to reach an agreement and strike on the Institute as a team.” He paused. “Don’t let your afflictions for Danse mar your perspective of me, because you can achieve great things with the Brotherhood, if you’ll only allow yourself. Goodnight, Nora.”

  
She sat up on the bed, shocked that he was just going to release her and leave. “Where are you going?”

The leather of his glove creaked under his intense grip on the door handle. “I have a very busy schedule, I know where to find you if I need you.”  
  
His sentence was punctuated by the slam of the door behind him.   
  
  
Her Pip-Boy hovered above her face, and she checked the status of each of her settlements, not that there was anything she could do to assist them should the need arise. The happiness at The Castle was dwindling already, and she wondered if MacCready even told anyone where she was. “Of course he did.” She reassured herself. Hugging a pillow to her chest, she sighed. “I hope you’re happy, you jerk.”   
  
  
  
Back at The Castle, RJ was pacing back and forth like a madman. Piper sat on the table in the General’s quarters, irked just by watching him. “You need to sit down, you’re raising my blood pressure.”  
  
Following her advice, he took a seat only to immediately stand back up. “Nora’s in trouble, she won’t survive if they interrogate her. What if they find out her son is the director of the Institute?”  
  
Nick Valentine followed the commotion into the room and sat down on arm of the couch opposite them. “I couldn’t help but overhear you say that our mutual friend is in trouble. How much trouble we talking, here?”  
  
MacCready scrunched up his face. “Aahh.. Dammit I was supposed to keep my mouth shut! Nora went to cut ties with the Brotherhood, but it’s been twenty four hours and I’m not liking this feeling I have in my gut.”  
  
Valentine sighed. “The Brotherhood of Steel? I don’t envy her, that’s for sure. You have any intel on that Maxson fellow?”  
  
  
He finally collapsed on the floor, crossing his legs on the rug. “Only that he’s a killing machine, and he came after a tank like Danse with nothing but a serrated knife. The Brotherhood is a threatening show of force back in the Capital Wasteland, so I sincerely doubt they’ll be running their operations any differently over here. She probably knows what they want from her, but she couldn’t be bothered to tell me that!” Throwing his arms up, he sighed before covering his eyes. “I should’ve gone with her.”  
  
Piper cleared her throat. “Why didn’t you?”  
  
He looked through his fingers at her. “You think I didn’t try? She insisted I stayed!”

She smacked his hat off of his head. “Then quit your whining, MacCready.”

  
Picking the engineer cap up off the floor, he scoffed. “Somehow that doesn’t make me feel any better. Don’t you have somewhere to be?”  
  
The brunette hopped off the table and skipped to the door. “Nobody’s around to enforce watch shifts, five minutes wouldn’t kill us. Nora won’t leave us hanging.”  
  
“She’s done it before!” He called on deaf ears, as Piper slammed the double doors shut.  
  
  
  
The next night, Nora awoke to the sting of a bobby pin stabbing her in the back of the head. As she pulled it out, she had an epiphany. The Pip-Boy on her nightstand illuminated the room as she picked it up, and the clock on it read 0300. She inched her way to the door in the corner of the room, and peered through the lock. Unsurprisingly, she couldn’t see a thing through it. She fiddled with the lock for a minute or two before the door sprung open a crack. A whimper of excitement escaped her before she slipped on her boots and slowly descended the ladder to the command deck.   
  
Nora peeked into the empty room before hopping the rest of the way down. She opened the door to the flight deck, and was almost shocked to find not a single soldier, and to her dismay, no vertiberd either. Her body was flooded with panic, and she ran to the end of the flight deck in hopes of anything to aid her to the ground. The crates she raided yielded no parachutes, and she was overcome with hopeless dread. 

Surely she had a few minutes at most before someone returned, and she would be hauled back off to her makeshift prison. She looked over the edge, and concluded that there must be a better angle to jump from. After circulating the perimeter of the deck a few times, she concluded that there was an area with enough water below the left of the bow. Nora climbed on top of the yellow crate, and heard the flight deck door slam.  
  
  
“So you’re just going to _jump_? Interesting.” She wasn’t surprised to hear Elder Maxson’s voice behind her, but she had an overhanging feeling her chance of escape wasn’t much of one to begin with.  
  
Her legs shook beneath her, and she turned her head to face him. “You can’t stop me. I have to get back to the Minutemen.”   
  
“Who said I was stopping you? If you need to get back so badly you’d risk dying instead of staying a measly thirty days, that’s completely up to you.” He bluffed. The Brotherhood needed Nora if they wanted any real chance of snuffing out the Institute. Maxson crept closer to the woman, fighting the eagerness to yank her from the crate. She was so close, but not close enough to catch. If he was too hasty, she would just jump anyway. She shifted her weight and the box creaked underneath her, causing her to look back in time to catch him sneaking up on her.  
  
“It’s a win-win to me, but your actions speak louder than your words, Elder.” Nora crouched down as her respirations grew shallow. She took a deep breath and sprung to her feet, making a brief takeoff before being pulled back into Maxson’s tight grip, locking her arms across her chest and forcing all air from her lungs. His grip didn’t falter in the slightest as she kicked around, but within a matter of seconds she blacked out from oxygen deprivation.  
  
  
The following morning, she awoke and found a shackle around her ankle connected to the support beam in the center of her room by a long chain. Nora lifted the leash, observing the archaic restraint. “He can’t be serious.”  
  
She loudly shuffled to her desk, searching for the ball-peen hammer that Danse had in it. As she should’ve expected, it was gone. Before giving up hope, she searched around the rest of the room, and realized that the keyhole on her door had been welded over with a small sheet of metal. “He might be serious.”  
  
What was even worse was the looming realization that it was quite likely that Proctor Ingram assisted in keeping her captive. A knock came to the door, and she tightened her fists. “Nobody’s home, go away!”  
  
  
Elder Maxson’s voice boomed through the door. “I’m bringing in your lunch, make yourself decent.” He paused for a moment before letting himself in, as if there were any reason for Nora to be out of the clothes she tried to leave in the previous night.

She glared at him with her legs crossed on the bed, and he sat the tray next to her on the bed before kneeling at her feet. A chill crept up her spine at his overwhelming presence and she gulped down her next breath. Without a word, he unshackled her ankle, sliding his palm up her skin as he squeezed her heel and observed the skin beneath where the brace previously was.  
  
  
“I was worried about you last night. Please forgive me for knocking you unconscious.” His eyes left her lower half, and slowly dragged up to her eyes. She could tell he was genuinely sorry, but that didn’t change the fact that she was still pissed at him.  
  
“You said that you weren’t stopping me, that it was _my_ decision if I wanted to jump.” She reminded him.  
  
He put a hand on her knee. “I know what I said. If you choose to hold it against me, you are at liberty to do so.”  
  
  
A second shiver went up her spine as her eyes fell on his hand. “I.. I accept your apology Elder.”  
  
After sighing with relief, he pushed himself back to a standing position. “You have my gratitude. If you died as a result of my carelessness, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to make you feel more at home.”  
  
  
He closed the door, and she sighed in annoyance. “You could let me go home.” The food on the bed did little to stimulate her senses, but she picked at the vegetable soup on the tray anyway.  
  
  
When dinner time grew nearer, she planted herself in front of the door in hopes of increasing the time she had to talk to Maxson. The sight of him filled her with wrathful fantasies, but having no human interaction other than Cade and Arthur made her start to look forward to seeing him. At six precisely, she was shaken by a rhythmic knocking, followed by the door opening. A young squire stood before her, around eleven or so.  
  
“Hello, Squire. Where’s Elder Maxson?” She asked as he handed off her dinner.  
  
“The Elder is busy with something very important, I’m sure. He gave me clear instructions to provide you with anything you need, within reason of course.” He rattled off.  
  
  
She raised an eyebrow. “Are you allowed to escort me to the showers?”  
  
The squire started to blush and fiddle with his fingers. “I’m afraid I can’t take you anywhere, ma’am. The Elder didn’t leave me his key because he says I’m far too trusting.”  
  
She sighed. At least she gave it her best shot. “Could you please bring me something to bathe with then?”

"It would be an honor!" The boy saluted and off he went.  
  
  
Had it not been for her Pip-Boy, she would’ve been convinced that the following week took course over at least a month. Nora laid on the ground in her quarters, throwing a disarmed baseball grenade into the air and catching it, before a soft knocking came at the door. Nora stood up, and unwound her leash from around the post in her room she circled around.   
  
“Come in.” She called.   
  
Arthur strut into the room, eyeing her shackle. “Has Knight-Captain Cade been in to assess your restraint?”   
  
  
He watched as she rubbed the side of her leg. “Only every two hours.” She said, cracking a smile.  
  
Sitting at her desk, Arthur took the invitation to kneel down and release the cuff from her ankle.   
  
“Is it bothering you any?” He asked, massaging it.   
  
She stammered. “Not really.”   
  
  
With a cordial smile on his face, he looked up at her. “How would you like to wander outside of your confinement for a period of time tomorrow?”   
  
She put her elbows against the desk and leaned back. “You mean like a date? It sounds far-fetched, like there’s a catch.”   
  
A laugh escaped him. “The only catch is you’ll be under my supervision at all times, as you probably would have imagined.”   
  
He worked her ankle joint in a circle, supporting it at the bend.   
  
She leaned forward, balancing her elbows on her knees. “Sounds like fun, warden.”  
  
  
He clicked the brace back together over her ankle, and gently laid her foot back down on the floor with both hands. “I have some matters to attend to this evening, so you likely won’t be seeing me for the rest of today.” He said, rising to a standing position.   
  
“Then I suppose I can look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Elder.” She teased.   
  
The improvement in her mood brought a smile to his face. “I suppose so.”   
  
He walked through the doorway and his hand grasped the door handle, following behind him. “Have a nice evening, Mrs. Klain.”   
  
“Goodnight, Arthur.”  
  
Her greeting was followed by the clear click of him locking the door.   
  
“Charming.” She scoffed to herself.   
  
  
A curious sensation started to bubble within her. What could she have signed herself up to be doing tomorrow? ‘Wandering around for a period of time.’ Didn’t hold much promise in her opinion. Her only solution was to wait and see what came with the following day.


	2. Salacity at the Starlight Drive In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day!
> 
> Nora begrudgingly awaits release from her detainment aboard the Prydwen, and Elder Maxson makes a point of his guest enjoying her stay.

The next morning, a familiar clanging woke the Sole Survivor from a sound sleep.  
  
Nora sat up in bed, annoyed. “Dexter, do I have to beg not to be woken up with everyone else? I have nowhere to be but here, and nothing to do. What's the point of me being awake this early?”  
  
The squire from the previous week flipped on the light. “Elder Maxson says that I’m responsible for you eating. If you grew sickly under our care it would bring dishonor to the Brotherhood.” He said, placing the tray in her lap. "I'll be back in an hour to collect your dishes." The boy saluted and locked her back in her stifling hot room.  
  
She took a drink out of the mug and frowned. “Black coffee and oatmeal is going to keep me from starving? I’d rather preserve my energy.”

  
An hour later, Knight-Captain Cade made his usual rounds, placing two fingers under the brace and removing Nora's sock to assess her perfusion status. As she put the sock back on, he released the cuff momentarily to allow for range of motion exercise.  
At noon, her lunch was delivered to her door. On the tray sat an assortment of tato soup and brahmin meatloaf, again. She asked the squire to bring her a tub of warm water to bathe with, and he returned half an hour or so later with a basin of bathwater. She swirled the washcloth around in the bucket, and lathered it with soap before cleaning her body.  
  
She put a hand in her bag and pulled out a hairbrush, kneading her hair out of its bun and pulling it back into a high ponytail. When she was finished, she peered over herself in the tiny mirror in the corner, and took a seat on her cot, waiting for whoever was supposed to fetch her for that evening’s festivities.  
  
Six o’clock rolled by, and she was surprised that her dinner ration wasn’t at her door per usual. She checked the clock on her Pip-Boy and she wasn’t mistaken, it was indeed five past.  
  
Glaring at the purple screen, she tried to ignore the growing discomfort in her belly. Her eyes skimmed over the notes in her inventory as if she hadn't memorized them all, but by this point she was only using it as a distraction from the time passing as it grew ever slower. She started anxiously brushing through her long ponytail, focusing on the ends of her hair. Finally at half past seven, a soft knock came at the door, but in her anticipation it startled Nora.  
  
“Come in.” She nearly whispered.  
  
Arthur entered the room, and his eyes fell on Nora, brushing her long blonde hair on the bedside. He walked over to her, and spoke sweetly into her ear. “Would you still like to go on an adventure tonight? I promise to make it worth your while.”  
  
Flustered by his dalliance, she chuckled. “Adventure? I was anticipating a rendezvous, but I’m starting to think I've been stood up.”  
  
He leaned down, and she held out her leg for him to grab.  
“What sort of philistine would leave you in wait?" A smile crept along his face as his fingers made contact with her warm skin. "I hope you don't mind if I stand in."

He lifted her foot closer to him and unshackled her ankle, closing the cuff and softly placing it on her bedside table. 

  
Picking up her backpack, she halted as Arthur cleared his voice behind her. Their eyes met as he motioned for the bag. "May I?"  
Hesitantly, she surrendered her knapsack and he threw it over his shoulder, bowing his head before taking his leave. He dove down the ladder, and she mimicked his strut across the command deck to the exit, crossing her hands behind her back and standing up tall. The door to the flight deck creaked open and half of the crew looked apprehensively at the rogue Paladin accompanying the elder; the other half were pretending not to not notice that he was preparing to casually take off with someone he arrived with in cuffs only ten days prior.  
  
She followed him out to the docking station at the very end of the deck. “I’ve been made aware that you aren’t fond of heights. Does flying in a vertiberd for prolonged distances bother you?” He asked, half-jokingly.

  
“Not at all, sir.” She answered, boldly.  
  
He nodded his head again. “Excellent. Then let’s not keep adventure waiting.” He held out a hand and helped to lift her into the aircraft, tenderly grabbing her waist to steady her.  
  
Nora held back a grin as she looked back to a deck of wide eyes, some darting to the ground as she turned her head.  
  
“They’re just nervous about me leaving the Prydwen.” He reassured her, climbing into the pilot’s seat.  
  
Lights signaled from the airport beneath them, and she looked towards land. “When you said you’d be taking me out today, I didn’t think you meant on the ground.”  
  
Adorning a headset, he began to flip switches above his head. “There’s nothing to explore on this airship. The whole experience is flying up to it.”  
  
She crossed her hands in her lap. “What will we be exploring today, then?”  
  
“I don’t spoil surprises.” He turned his head to her and smiled.    
  
  
He disengaged the lock on the flight dock, and the vertiberd went soaring outwards, away from the ship. Nora held on to the side of her seat, pulling at the fabric on the edge of her seatbelt to keep her anchored into place.  
  
They ascended over Boston, and the buildings darkened along the city as it blued in the nighttime.  
  
“You should’ve seen this city before the bombs. There were lights as far as the eye could see from up here.” She piped up.  
  
His eyebrows raised as she caught his eye, dreamily eyeing what was left of the city skyline. “Now that, I would have liked to see. But I can only dedicate my undivided attention to one thing at a time, and I must admit I already feel quite distracted.”  
  
Nora blushed. “I’m surprised to see you use that silver tongue of yours on a prisoner.”  
  
Arthur glanced back at the sky. “Just because you’re a deserter, it doesn't necessarily mean you're a miscreant. In fact, I think you’re quite the opposite.”  
  
The vertiberd cut upwards suddenly to evade a fallen overpass, and her anxiety rose with the increasing elevation. “After my welcoming committee you think I’m a good person? Now you’re just teasing me.”  
  
The Elder scoffed, “ _Teasing?_ A man of honor does no such thing. I needed to let you know that I was serious about taking you up on your offer to relieve you of your rank. I think you have good intentions, and I see that a lot of people look up to you. However, I would like to add that your bravado with the Minutemen does not excuse how foolish you made me look by running out on the Brotherhood, and I must admit as of late I've been quite troubled by it. ”  
  
She covered her quick look of amusement before returning her hands to rest on her thighs. “I assure you, making you look foolish could not have been further from my intentions.”  
  
Taking note of her fingers twirling anxiously in her lap, he cleared his throat. “I have a reputation to live up to. Many people expect nothing but excellence from me. It can be.. overwhelming.”

  
“I can’t say I can empathize with the burden of being a prodigy.” She laughed, tucking an erratic stray hair behind her ear. “I was never really all that good at anything before the war.”  
  
Arthur's fingers tapped against the cyclic stick in his hand, “From what I understand, you’re rather educated.” He obviously probed for some kind of elaboration.  
  
“My father was in the army, and my mom worked part time at the laundromat when I was old enough to be home alone. I mentioned joining the military in junior high, but dad wouldn’t hear of it. He wanted me sewing pretty clothes and getting married like all the other girls in my class wanted to do. After hours of arguing my point, he said he’d pay for me to go to law school. And so I.. became a lawyer.” She smiled.  
“I almost had him.”

The look on his face changed, and the expression of confusion shone a brilliant light for this refined and charismatic young man to be seen in. “Tell me about law school. One could say I’m educated, but it was not a formal one, I assure you.”

She couldn’t help but scoff. “Law school was long and expensive. I was forced to take a bunch of classes I didn’t need, I probably wasted half of my youth reading, I cried during the State Bar, and now I have an admission to practice law that I can’t use.” 

  
Arthur waited for her to pause. “And now that you’re a sharp-witted killing machine, you think you’re not cut out to be a soldier?” He stole another glance at her before smiling and turning his attention back to the sky.  
  
“My dad knew I wasn’t cut out for it. I’m too soft for fighting.” Her head turned away. She hadn’t thought about her parents in awhile, but she missed them horribly. She couldn’t place the last time she called, but she hadn’t seen them since Shaun was born.  
  
Sighing, he replied. “That’s where you’re wrong. The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, and the capacity for sacrifice.”  
  
Nora attempted to disregard his words, but his flattery was irresistible. "You tell me I'm not a beacon of virtue, then introduce me to Elder Hemingway?"

  
They hovered to a large square clearing surrounded by string lights, before the vertiberd touched down on a pavement landing.  
  
“Do you like movies?” Arthur asked, changing the subject while disengaging his seatbelt.  
  
“I answered yes to that same question in college, and ended up regretting it.” She joked.    
  
He beamed as he powered down the rotors. “That doesn’t answer my question.”  
  
Nora leaned forward in her seat, fumbling with the harness. “I _did_ like movies. It’s a shame such an illustrious art-form had to become obsolete.”  
  
  
Wondering at the marvel that moving pictures might’ve been in her lifetime, Maxson sighed. “I concur.” He said, emerging from the aircraft.  
  
He held out a hand for her to grab, but as she did he hooked his other arm around her waist, pulling her close to him, and a pant emerged as he squeezed her midsection.

“There aren’t any Brotherhood soldiers out here, are there?” She inquired, searching the area for onlookers.  
  
“Not unless they want to be discharged.” He laughed, putting her down on the ground. “I told everyone stationed within five miles of here to expect thorough inspections tomorrow morning. I will be performing them personally.”  
  
“Smart man.” She said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
“So I've been told." He cleared his throat. "Is there any reason you’re concerned about company?”  
  
“Only the subtle reaction of our brothers on the Prydwen.” She teased.  
  
Rouge crept up on his cheeks. “They’re just.. curious. Why shouldn’t they be interested?” He shook his head, avoiding her critical gaze. “Anyway, we’re getting off topic.”  
  
Nora’s stomach roared loudly, and a hand shot up to cover her mouth.  
  
Filled with relief, Arthur laughed. “Wow, I’m being rude. Could I interest you in some dinner?”

"Dinner sounds.. stellar." She replied eagerly. 

  
  
Leading her towards the diner of the Starlight Drive In, he asked, “Do you like spicy food?”    
  
“As in, there’s food with spices in it? I almost don’t want to believe you.” She glanced over at his shoulder at the massive projector screen.  
  
Following her stare, he replied, “I hope you don’t mind watching a movie while we eat.”  
  
She looked back at him. “I don’t mind at all.”  
  
They entered the diner, and Nora looked at the pot stewing on a hot plate. “So what’s for dinner?”  
  
Retrieving a bottle from the windowsill, he motioned to the cookware. “Ragstag curry. And Merlot usually pairs well with spicy food. Does that suffice?”  
  
“If I'm being honest Elder, it's the best food I've smelled in months.” She said, as he handed her a bowl. His presentation skills were impeccable, not that she was surprised.  
  
He put the wine bottle in her backpack, and adjusted it on his elbow, before picking up his own bowl and using his free hand to hold the door open for Nora.  
“Call me Arthur.”  
  
  
A cabana with dark blue curtains sat in the center of the lot, and she grew more suspicious as he lead her over to it. "Um, Arthur?" A quiet voice came from behind him, and he spun around attentively before she continued. “I hope you don't take offense when I ask this, but.. is this a trap, or a prank, or something else ominous that would make me regret appreciating.. the opulence of all of this?”  
  
“Of course not.” Dimples formed around the edges of his facial hair as he smiled at her. Rows of straight white teeth emerged from behind his full lips, and Nora found herself a bit dumb as she watched him speak. “My mentor once told me that careful composition is vital in all aspects of life, and I for one am a very methodical man. Even the movie is four hours long.”  
  
As they continued walking, she studied him. “Four hours long? What kind of movie did you have in mind?”  
  
“I thought you'd be interested in seeing Cleopatra.” He said, grinning at the facetious remark.  
  
Sputtering a laugh she declared, “You cheeky bastard!”  
  
He laughed hard, scratching at the back of his neck. “Forgive me if you think it’s inappropriate. It’s only one of the last surviving films in existence as well as a pinnacle of its day and age.”  
  
  
Nora took a step onto the platform, before sitting by the coffee table situated in the center of the curtained structure. “Have you seen it? Or is the blatant ostentation of your choice merely coincidental?”  
  
The bag in his hand was gently dropped at her feet before Arthur came flouncing aboard the cabana. “Oh I’ve seen all of the movies I that I stole from the Smithsonian. I’m quite taken with Elizabeth Taylor.”  
  
She clicked her tongue in disapproval.  
“I can’t believe I’m spending my time with a common thief.”  
  
Falling into a cross-legged position on a quilt, he cocked his head. “Did I say steal? I meant that I borrowed them from the nice super mutants at the museum.”  
  
Nora couldn’t help but grin ear to ear him. “I have half a mind to march you back to the Capital by the ear.”  
  
“And the other half?” He instigated. Oddly enough, Nora found herself thrilled to the point of unrest by his reciprocated flirting.  
  
Pausing, she prepared a response. “The other half is interested in sticking around for dinner and a movie.” She said shyly, stirring her fork around in her rice.  
  
“That’s all I needed to hear. Make yourself comfortable, I’ll be right back.” He rocked himself into a standing position, hopping off of the small plush lodging.  
  
Nora listened to his loud footsteps scrape away from her in the gravel that lined the ground of the drive in. She waited a moment and turned her head around, taking in the sights of the small cabin. It was a neat wooden frame, the back half walled in. The front half was a metal body curtained off on each side, drawn wide open in the front for an elegant display. Inside the structure was an array of navy pillows embroidered with patterns of white and gold. She picked one up and brought it close to her face, admiring the stitch work.

Almost pleased to have misjudged him, she uttered, “A loving heart is the truest wisdom.”

  
  
“Do you like it?” Arthur asked behind her, and she nearly dropped the cushion.  
  
Embarrassed, she asked, “The cabana? It’s lovely. It’s one of the prettiest things I’ve seen in the Commonwealth so far.” She said, tracing her fingers along the needlepoint line.  
  
Joining her in the cozy heap, he picked up a different pillow. “I spent days wondering what I could do to impress you, and just as many making meticulous preparations for tonight. However this all still pales in comparison to your beauty, and if I’m being forthright I’m still terribly worried that you’re disappointed.”  
  
His words caught her off guard, and she clutched the throw pillow tightly in her hands as her gaze rolled up to meet him.  
  
  
“Forgive my suspicion. What exactly is your objective here?” She asked, searching for the nerve to maintain eye contact.  
  
After a moment of consideration, he forced out a response. “I would imagine untimely courtship. I do apologize if I seem brash, but I can't help feeling that if there were a contingency for a liaison of sorts between us, it would be fleeting. I respect your wishes to leave, so once your probation is over, you don’t have any obligation to come back if you don’t want to.”  
  
She remembered the pillow in her hands as her fingernails threatened the integrity of its hem. Elder Maxson brought her here to sleep with him, and was bold enough to declare his intentions unabashed.  
  
"If I may be so bold, it would be a horrible shame if you were to never return." He continued.   
  
To her surprise, his allure seemed to overshadow any rising offense. “You-you want me to have sex with you?”  
  
  
He laughed uncomfortably. “If you’ll allow me to tiptoe around the way you asked that question, I’ll start by saying that my desires of you are far beyond just physical, and you are by no means expected to do anything you don’t wish to."

A brief silence fell between them, and Nora nodded as an acknowledgement to allow him to continue.  
  
"I was intrigued by Danse’s seemingly excessive commendation of you, and impressed by how far you surpassed my expectations annexing Fort Strong. However, I was floored when you denounced me in front of that listening post. If I hadn’t been so sure you’d reject me in light of recent events, I would have told you then how much you meant to me. Truth be told Nora, I was devastated to hear that Danse was a synth. As a human, he was a dear friend, and a man I deeply respected. But I would be inconsolable if you left the Brotherhood, particularly if I never told you how I felt.” The Elder closed in on her, but kept a short distance.  
  
  
The awareness of his eyes on her body in the skintight vault suit evoked a rush of adrenaline, and she brought the cushion to her chest demurely. “Is there anything else you want to tell me about how you feel?”  
  
She jumped as a brass orchestra roared through the speakers and the screen flashed gold and white. The film reel continued to roll into action and the movie sprung to life. Arthur turned to the colorful screen and back to Nora. “It would be best if we postponed the movie if you’d like an answer to that right now.”  
  
  
With a relieved chuckle, she extended a hand into her bag on the floor and withdrew the bottle of wine. “I suppose I can wait four hours in agony.”  
  
The breath he was holding was liberated from his lungs, and he returned to his spot at the end of the table while she handed him a glass. “Are you even old enough to drink? I’ve heard that alcohol can be damaging to the developing brain.”  
  
He sipped out of his drink and smirked. “If there were someone you could aspire to voice your concerns to, such as my late parents or a superior officer, they’d tell you I’ve been drinking since I was a squire. Regardless, it’s quite bold of you to comment on my age as a negative. Very few have the brass.”  
  
The Romans bought their way through the marketplace as the pair observed over their meal. Nora couldn’t believe how talented Arthur was at cooking on top of everything else. The curry stung her mouth and the back of her nose, but she was starving and it was the best food she had eaten since before the war. The nagging in her stomach almost made her forget that table manners still existed.  
  
She placed the bowl back on the coffee table with a heavy heart, before taking another long sip of merlot.

 

Before long, she took notice that the once-full bottle of wine was nearing its end, but they couldn’t have been halfway through the film. Nora excused herself to go to the bathroom, and managed to her feet. Once standing, she and Arthur were both painfully aware of her delicate condition as she unsteadily teetered out of the warmth of the shelter. The vault-dweller surveyed the surrounding area, settling on the area behind the tool storage as her destination.  
  
Once behind the shed, she began frantically flipping the flashlight on her Pip-Boy. "Dot, dot, dash, dot, pause, dot, dot, dash, pause, dash, dot, dash, dot, pause, dash, dot, dash, pause-"   
  
Dread washed over Nora as footsteps sounded immediately behind her back, and it took impossibly long for her gaze to reach Arthur after he had caught her red-handed. "If I didn't know morse code, I would have bet caps that you were signaling an SOS. 'Fuck off' does have a nice ring to it, though." He laughed, clearly as tanked as she was.   
  
"You're not mad?" She asked, confused.  
  
Shrugging his shoulders he replied, "You didn't run away, you seem like you just want privacy. I prefer to know when I'm being watched, but it doesn't seem like you have much choice in the matter. It would be irrational for me to be upset, although I will be expecting a follow-up on this _Deacon_  character."  
  
She looked out into the woods for signs of her Railroad ally, half expecting the light from her device to reflect off of his shades. After an uneventful minute, she led the way back inside.   
  
  
The wine bottle made a loud sliding noise while Arthur slipped it from the table, and he held it out in front of his date. "Nearly gone." He slurred, swirling the rest of the merlot in the bottom of the container as he offered it to her. Grabbing the neck of the bottle, she chugged half its remaining contents before handing it back.  
  
Not backing down from a challenge, he polished off the bottle and tossed it aside aimlessly. It rolled out of sight as he advanced, delicately grabbing her chin and turning her attention away from the film.  “I’ve about gathered my courage, and what I have to say to you. Would you like to hear it now, or would you rather wait until the end of the movie?”  
  
Her heart skipped a beat as he invaded her personal space, and her senses were overwhelmed by his pleasant redolence. She drunkenly batted her eyelashes, utterly starstruck at his intensity. “I think I’ve waited long enough, Arthur.”  
  
Every muscle in her body froze with the help of his hand on her chin, stroking her jawline with his thumb. “You’re the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I would give anything for a chance to have you for my own, and I find it difficult just to contain myself around you.”  
  
  
Petrification left her body in lieu of potent lust before she grabbed the lapel of his coat, climbing atop his lap. “Right answer.”  
  
Impatiently, he drew her into him, pushing his fingertips up the curvature of her spine. Her back arched at his touch, driving her lips gently into his.  
  
He held her close to savor in her lovelock, returning her kisses with earnest, before Nora’s hands found themselves around the collar of his officer uniform. As quickly as she decided to begin disrobing him, he tugged her scarf downwards, unraveling it from her inviting neck.  
  
The woman unbuckled his collar and hastily pulled on the zipper below it, while Arthur buried his face in her neck. She writhed and snorted as his breath tickled her skin, bouncing on his lap as her boots dragged across the quilt beneath them. The buckles and zipper on his coat sounded as he shuffled out of it, wrapping his bare arms back around Nora. He exhaled slowly, and the pink tinge in his face was replaced by a radiant red.  
“I’ve got to get up if I want to take my clothes the rest of the way off.” He said, withdrawing from her.  
  
The gap between them was bridged once more as if she couldn't keep her lips off of him. "Does that mean you want me to get off?"  
  
He rolled forward, propelling her under him and onto the lounge bed that laid beside them on the floor. "Something like that." Growled the commander, and Nora squirmed with her suffocating desire. He stood back up, stretching provocatively before pulling his suit the rest of the way down.  
  
Her sight involuntarily rolled down the front of his body, closing in on the erect member teasing the waistband of his undergarments. “I should’ve known you’re not all talent, Elder.”

“I prefer gifted.” He said, focused on unfastening the button fly on his boxers. The blonde in his bed cleared her throat, and he stopped to look up at her.  
  
She crawled off of the lounge bed on the floor and over to his feet, running her small hands up his wooly legs. Sliding her grip onto the unmistakable bulge in the garment, she undid the stud and dropped his last line of defense against her.  
  
Arthur’s head lolled back towards the ceiling, even this was too much.  
She teased the tip of his cock with her tongue, before slipping it into her mouth. He gave a small howl at the feeling of her rubbing his member while massaging the curb of his head with her lips.  
  
He dared to look down at her, and met her intense stare, grinning maliciously at his sudden lack of pretension.  
She knew not to waste this chance to display her skill, and delved deeper onto him-swiveling her head while she sloppily overwhelmed his body with pleasure. She put a hand on his hip to level herself, and she felt the muscles in his thighs spasm hard. Her mouth released him for a moment before she sucked him back into the back of her throat, making a loud slurping noise.  
  
Another glance upwards rewarded her greatly, with the sight of Arthur alternating between biting his lower lip and gritting his teeth as he desperately tried to hold out. He released his lip and opted to bite his knuckles, clamping down on them and breathing heavily through his nose. Nora made the decision to grant him mercy, and released her mouth’s grip on him. Before she could back off, the Elder grabbed the back of her head with both hands, thrusting into her puckered lips one more time before filling her mouth and uttering an almost startlingly loud sigh of relief.  
  
They maintained eye contact as she audibly swallowed, and a shiver went up the Elder's spine. Arthur kneeled down beside her, bracing her head in his hand and placing his thick lips on her cheekbone, deliberately placing small kisses along a trail to her mouth. His tongue pushed into hers as her jaw hung agape, and a smile formed before she could return the gesture.    
  
He carefully unzipped the front of the vault suit with both hands, continuing to kiss downward with each new inch of skin revealed. Nora watched on, letting him kiss down her neck and between her breasts before giving him new territory to explore, kicking off her boots and standing up to shimmy out of the blue and gold suit.

  
He paused for a moment, and Nora glanced down at him.  
  
“Is something wrong?”

“Would it be impolite of me to ask you to remove your Pip-Boy?” He requested, averting her gaze.  
  
She chuckled, dropping the device at his knees. “What could I possibly gain from recording you giving me a proper pounding?”

A blush of pink spread across his face before he could manage a response. “It would be quite unfortunate for such an audio file to be.. mismanaged and get out. There’s a division of the Western Brotherhood chapter dedicated to eradicating cults that worship me.” 

  
“Well then, do forgive my ignorance Elder.” She said, pulling the hair tie from her ponytail.  
  
“Nonsense.” He said, firmly placing a hand on either side of her waist. “I ask a lot of you, as I would of any respectable high-ranking officer. But you’ve long surpassed any expectations I had of you, the surprises just keep coming.”  
  
She let her hair fall, curls lining the back of her full frame. Arthur sat on the floor, dazzled as he stared up at her.  
“You look at me like you’ve never touched a woman before.”  
  
She looked down at him, and down further to his erection, throbbing with his pulse as his heart raced with anxiety.  
“Is it a problem if that is the case?” He asked, holding his stare. He couldn’t look away. In the light of the projector she shone in a manifestation of divinity, and it was only fitting he was on his knees to adore her.  
  
  
Slowly, she crouched down to his level. “Why did you wait so long to do this? Surely any woman in the Brotherhood would die to be with you.”  
  
“I.. haven’t found many women that I feel like I resonate with on a personal level. I strongly believe that between you and me, an ideal reciprocity can be achieved.”  
He inched towards her, rolling his strong hands over her thighs, before wrapping an arm around each leg and anchoring them there.  
  
“What are you doing, Arthur?” She asked, confused.  
  
He nodded his head, motioning for her to walk backwards on her hands, and crab walked her back towards the loft bed. “How did you put it earlier? I’m using my silver tongue on a prisoner.”  
  
To her dismay, he firmly grasped the front of her panties, ripping them down the middle. Arthur paused for a moment before continuing to ravage her undies, and Nora gasped as he yanked what remained of them off of her.  
  
“You have my word they’ll be quickly replaced.” He said, kissing her navel. “I can get you whatever you’d like.” He muttered out between gentle pecks on her skin.  
  
He circumvented her love nest and turned his attention to her thighs instead, going north at a painfully slow pace. About two-thirds of the way up, she began to wince and giggle at the tickling on her thighs. Her laughter was silenced when his kisses evolved into his tongue dragging across her sensitive skin.  
  
  
She struggled to unfasten her bra while focusing on his steady climb. “You’re like an old man. I gotta remember to show you a good time when you finally get around to it.”  
  
Pausing, he laughed. “What I lack in experience, I make up for in determination and patience.”  
  
He advanced suddenly, burying his face in her folds. She tried to move her legs, but Arthur’s grip on them made it impossible. She exclaimed in pleasure while he continued to taunt her with his tongue.  
  
The Elder worked strenuously, pushing his tongue flat against her clit and wiggling it against her, then lapping and fondling against her sensitivities in unpredictable patterns.  
After what seemed like an eternity of him between her legs, she felt her muscles loosen up on his fingers before a loud gasp was forced from her. She gripped his hair tightly and collapsed into a trembling heap amongst the sheets and silk pillows. “Oh my god. You’re bottomless. Where does it all come from?”

He wiped his chin with his forearm, taking a breather. “A good student makes use of theory and practice, but I’m not done practicing.”

  
Over two hours later, the projector flickered off, enveloping the two of them in darkness. “I beg your pardon for distracting you from the movie.” She whined, lightheaded from the overstimulation. 

He heaved labored breaths while looking up at her through her legs, which didn’t help to ease the aching in his groin. He needed to get off, it felt like he was grinding a hole in the floor. “That’s the wonderful thing about movies, they never change. I can play it again when we’re finished, if it would make you feel better.”

Nora sighed shakily. She was almost relieved at the distraction of the movie playing in the background, because after the credits ended, she was once again reminded of how deafeningly silent the Commonwealth was. “Can’t we just start it over now? It’ll probably be around where you left off by the time we’re finished.”

“Why start it over? I was just going to skip ahead to the.. part where we were distracted at. Then we can take all the time we’d like.” He smiled.

She laughed softly. “It’s still dark, and quiet.”

One more gentle kiss was placed on the inside of her thigh before Arthur propped himself up. “I think I saw candles in the diner.”

  
Suddenly, she slid her hands onto his shoulders, and up the back of his neck. “Wait no, you don’t have to go get anything.”

He let himself fall into her grasp, and collapsed over her. He kissed her lips, her cheek, and her ear, before whispering into it, “I want this to be perfect for you.”

Shivering at his words, she replied. “If you insist.”

  
“I do.” He said, pulling himself from her grip. He stood up and pulled his flight suit around his waist, before tying the sleeves around himself to keep it up.

In the dim cabin, Nora could see the miles of body hair that outlined his impressive abdominal muscles, and she felt the surface of her skin heat up as she ogled him. Arthur threw his coat over himself and vanished from behind the blue curtains.

She took the time to flip through her Pip-Boy, anxiously turning the dial and sampling each station to find one to fit the mood. She settled on Diamond City Radio, splaying herself out on the bed in wait for her suitor.

Unexpectedly, she found herself on edge, the shock of Arthur’s attraction still setting in. Even when she was sleeping around with Danse, they never bothered with ambiance.

  
He emerged through the tapestry, carrying an armful of candles. Even in the dark, his eyes were drawn to the figure curled up in the silk sheets. He laid them out on the coffee table, striking a match and lighting the wick. “How many would you like? There was an entire crate.”

Rolling over, she slid a leg out of the sheet and into his view. “Surprise me.”

The Elder lit two more and erected them side by side on the table. In the glow of the candlelight, Nora watched on while he undid the knot of his suit, before dropping his coat and uniform on the floor.

“Oh, I intend to.”  
  
He inched onto the bed, slowly dragging himself up to her. She pulled the fabric to cover herself in a taunting pose, and he snatched it out of her hands before tossing it to the floor.

“Far too late for evasive maneuvers.” He said, tucking her hair behind her ear and nestling well into her personal space.

  
Nora scoffed, nearly leaping to clamber on top of his lap. “I’m not intimidated by you, commander.”

She balanced on him while he shook with laughter. “That makes one of us, Paladin.”

Tracing a finger over his chest she said, “On three?”

He exhaled, nodding his head.

  
“One, two, -Nnh!”

His eyes shot open as Nora prematurely mounted him, and his eyelids fluttered as he fought to compose himself.

“That was.. a dirty trick.” He smirked, holding her in place.

She gyrated in place as much as he would allow, his iron grip restraining her. “I couldn’t help myself. It was too tempting.”

He grunted softly as he adjusted to the sensation, Nora doing him no favors to prolong the inevitable. “I have to move eventually.” She ribbed, her hands pawing at his incredible pectorals.

  
He labored to a sitting position, draping his robust arms around her. “I suppose I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

Nora eagerly slipped her arms over his shoulders, enclosing his neck and using his body as leverage to ride him. She picked up the pace, letting out small whimpers as Arthur pulled her hips down on him repeatedly. He squeezed his eyes shut in hopes that he could last longer without admiring her.

In his own darkness, she whispered in his ear. “Only through me can you hope to escape the desperate situation in which you find yourself.”

He chuckled. “Speaking of exit strategies, I’m afraid I don’t have much fight left in me.”

She brushed a thumb across his lips, and they pulled up into a precious smile revealing his spectacular teeth. She kissed him lustfully before pulling away. “You just focus on pulling out, and we can rekindle that fighting spirit.”

  
Opening his eyes, he wrapped an arm around her waist and retracted himself from her before spurting down her legs with a growl. She panted as he gripped her tightly, her legs wobbling beneath her.

Arthur wiped away the baby hairs that clung to her neck, baring his teeth on her salty skin while he kissed her. He sucked on her collarbone, before meeting Nora’s gaze with his brilliant blue eyes. “You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.”

She fell onto the feathery bed and crawled up to the head of it. “That really is quite the compliment, coming from you.”

He followed in tow, imposing between her legs and lying on her stomach. “It’s the only thought that’s been going through my mind for the last three hours. It would’ve been a crime to not tell you.” He grabbed for a kerchief on the edge of the bed, before wiping off the back of her legs and finally removing the seminal fluid from his own member.

  
“Care for round two?” He smirked.

“Does that mean you want to be on top this time?” She giggled.

Supporting himself with one hand, he gesticulated with the other. “What kind of commander would I be if I said no?”

Arthur brushed his fingertips across the inside of her thighs as he observed his lover intently. He held his breath in the moments that lead up to pushing his head inside with a groan. Throwing his head back, he winced, “Maybe it was a blessing in disguise that you took the lead last time.”

Nora’s cheeks went flush before she spoke. “For the love of God, assume leadership!”  

He hesitated, looking down at himself inside of her, and back up at her face. He lifted up her leg and held her knee against his shoulder while he stroked deeper, and watched her curl her lips as he penetrated deeper than he previously had.

Arthur grabbed her hip and held her level a few inches from the quilt, putting his back into it as he rolled his hips into hers. His mouth turned up around the edges as he pulled her closer, hypnotizing Nora with the sound of him clapping against her.

He locked her inner thigh against him, staring deep into her eyes as he pounded her. He was turned on when she was riding him, but he was unstoppable now that she was underneath him, her whimpers of satisfaction resonating through the drive in. Baring his teeth, he exhaled slowly as if releasing pressure from his upper half.

  
Memories of her first night back on the Prydwen flashed before her eyes, and she hummed with delight. “Say you own me.”

Without hesitation, he blurted out, “I own you!”  
  
A sudden need to orgasm overcame her and she shouted, “Tell me you fucking own me, Elder Maxson!”

He lengthened his stride, fluids dripping down her thighs. “You belong to me, Klain! You’re property of the Brotherhood!” He groaned as he tried to hold back, and she was no better off as she squeezed him tightly, crossing her eyes and going limp in his hands. Nora’s fingers teased his hand slowly as he bruised her right hip with his grasp.

  
“Good boy.” She mumbled out weakly, as Arthur struggled to hold up her shaking legs.

She dizzily ran her hand up his hairy anterior and wound her legs around him, restricting his range of motion. Long, powerful thrusts turned into rapid pumps before he pulled out, blowing his load on her abdomen. He heaved quietly, breathing laboriously as he lingered over Nora. His hot body was drenched with sweat, and she swallowed the drool accumulating in her lip. “Would you be honest if I asked your opinion?” He asked, against his better judgment.

She smiled, wiping herself off. “Truth be told, if you never told me that you were inexperienced I might’ve never known.”

He rolled off of her and onto his back. “That’s kind of you, but that actually wasn’t what I wanted your opinion on.”

  
Nora turned her head and looked at him. “Confident down to losing your virginity, interesting. Ask away.”

A remorseful look came to his face. “Do you hate me for giving you the order to kill Danse?”

  
She laid in shock for a moment, formulating an answer for the untimely question. “At the time, I was furious with you. I walked into the command center under the impression that I had been set up to fail, but then what you said to me turned the situation on its head. I immediately went from thinking you were the enemy, to not knowing who was. I.. I was hurt that you would follow me to guarantee your wishes, but after all you were right. I wasn’t capable of killing him. So no, I don’t hate you for giving me the order. And I don’t hate you for confronting me about my insubordination, either. Just know that I stand by my decisions.”

Maxson turned his head to her. “You give me far too much credit. I was near certain you’d let him go.” He paused. “I followed you with the intent of killing Danse for you. I panicked, I admit. When the vertiberd that dropped you off returned, I zipped off in the direction the pilot said you went. It was a stroke of luck that you were actually in uniform for once, otherwise I might not have spotted you.” His story trailed off and he looked away.

  
After a moment he spoke again. “And now you’re leaving the Brotherhood because of my childish pride. I was so angry with him, for dozens of reasons, the least of which being his incredibly greedy taste in women. But seeing you defend him even to the end, it struck a chord in me, painfully so. I just couldn’t kill him anymore after seeing you so upset.” He closed his eyes and sighed hard.

“I’m not sure I would be here if you did.” She admitted.

Arthur's fingers found her hand and tangled around it. “Then allow me to thank you for coming back. We need you, Nora. I need you.”

  
She crawled over to him, lying a hand on his chest. “I hope you can be diplomatic about my choice to lead the Minutemen. The people of the Commonwealth need someone they can trust. _All_ people. I have a moral code that I need to follow, and our ideals are similar, but not exact. I’m no mercenary, Arthur. I wish I could overlook that and make a relationship easier, but I need to do things my own way. Don’t let that give you the impression that I’m not interested in you, as much as I’m not interested in the Brotherhood. You.. are going to make some woman very happy someday, even if it isn’t me.”  

The words burned him to his core, but he didn’t want to let on how upset he really was by them. “My diplomacy is the very reason I’m Elder. No need for alarm.”

He rolled off of the bed, pulling his clothes on hurriedly to shake off the rush of nervous energy from her rejection.

“Where are you going?” She asked, worried.

Throwing his armored jacket over his bare back, he replied. “I’m just going to resume the movie, care to join me?”

Nora shuffled over to the edge of the bed and grabbed her vault suit, sliding it on and zipping it up about halfway. She scanned the room for her socks, giving up and slipping her feet into her chunky boots and leaving them unlaced. A blanket was cast over her shoulders and she turned to face the Elder. “It’s warm in here, but it’s freezing out there.”

  
They ventured out into the cold February night, Arthur scooping Nora against him and swiftly placing her on the ground. Her legs wobbled unsteadily as she took note of the steam tracing off of his bare chest. If she hadn’t been so exhausted from riding him already, she would have jumped him again.  
  
Maxson lead the way to the door, holding it open for her. Once at the top of the stairs, he motioned her towards the projector. “Have you ever operated one of these before?”

Nora shook her head shyly.

He grinned, grabbing the film and demonstrating how to use it. “So when you want to rewind the film, you just take the loose end and attach it to the supply reel.” Leaving the function lever on stop, he pushed the rewind lever into the rewind position, slowly threading the film back into the reel. After he was to about the point where they left off, he rewinded a few more minutes and continued the film. “It’s easy.”

  
The screen lit up once again with Cleopatra’s dramatic entrance to Rome, filling the quiet air with boisterous music. They sauntered back to the warmth of the tiny shelter, Arthur dropping his coat when beyond its curtain threshold. He eyed her playfully, his hands pinching her zipper and slowly pulling it to its limit.

The room glowed blue through the fabric, and he drew the curtains back while Nora dove under the blankets, emerging and throwing her vault suit at him. He kicked off his boots and joined her in the lounge bed. Nora wrapped her arms around him, kissing the top of his head and scratching his beard gently. They watched the remaining two hours of the movie uninterrupted, and Arthur fell asleep as if on cue the minute the credits started to roll.

She brushed her fingers through his hair, swooning at the sweet expression on his face as he slept. He was so much less intimidating now than when he was awake. He snored softly, and his feet shuffled gently between hers as he slept. As the music continued to roll, Nora’s own eyes felt heavy, so she closed them and felt herself drift out of consciousness.


	3. Emperor's New Clothes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a surreal evening with Elder Maxson, the Sole Survivor returns to the Prydwen. In lieu of a messy plight upon her return, Nora jumps ship, returning to a much different atmosphere at home in The Castle.

The loud buzzing of the alarm clock rung through the air at eight in the morning, jarring Elder Maxson awake on top of her. Half awake, he groaned while rubbing his eyes with his fist. “Right. Inspections.”

Propping himself up, he grabbed the alarm clock, switching it off and eyeing the time. “How do you feel about pancakes?”

Nora forced her eyes open, exhausted but still reeling with excitement from the previous night. “I haven’t had pancakes in forever.”

“I hope you’re hungry then. We’ve got about an hour before we have to head out.” He said, hopping out of bed energetically and pulling his officer uniform the rest of the way up. The sun blinded them both as he opened the curtain and pushed through the opening. Before long, he popped his head back inside, tossing a package to his companion. “You might want to put this on.”

After bringing the sheet to her chest, she sat up and opened the plastic casing, revealing an orange jumpsuit. “You can’t be serious. I was arrested in front of the entire airport and you want to parade me around in a Brotherhood uniform?”

The curtains swayed back together behind him while he crossed through the doorway. As he pulled the toothbrush from his mouth he said, “I won’t be parading you around. You’re still an acting Paladin of the Brotherhood of Steel. If you do half of my inspections, we can have lunch faster.”

   
Confused, she asked, ”What about my probation?”

   
“I never said you wouldn’t be supervised, but for your safety I’d suggest you keep that information to yourself when addressing officers. If anyone questions you about your duties, you are to tell them that you are there on direct orders from me. If they push the issue, you show them this.” He pushed a sealed letter into her hand. “Don’t let anyone give you lip, or they’ll walk all over you.”

The envelope and sheet both fell into Nora’s lap as she combed her hair back with her fingers, and tied her bed head into a knotlike bun. “What do I do if they give me lip?” She mumbled before removing the hair tie between her teeth.

Slack-jawed, he corrected his posture and rectified his gaze to meet her face. “The important thing is to maintain your bearings as a delegate of the Brotherhood, but I trust you to use your own judgement to resolve any hostility.”

  
While Arthur prepared breakfast, Nora wandered behind the shed to pee. Hovering close to the ground, her eyes met with a peculiar pattern smaller than a silver dollar in the dirt. It was the shape of a star with a teardrop in the middle. Glancing over her shoulder, she dug up the tiny mound of dirt, and confusion overcame her as she pulled out a plastic firefly.

“A lightning bug, how peachy. Is one day without cryptic bullshit too much to ask?” She whispered to herself as she shoved the toy in one of her pockets. Her foot leveled out the disturbed earth before she met the Elder in the diner of the Starlight Drive In.

They ate breakfast quickly, hopping into the vertiberd and flying off to the satellite array by the Coast Guard training yard.

  
Upon landing and powering down the aircraft, Arthur spoke. “I sent a team out here three weeks ago with instructions to clean the place up so we could perhaps salvage some of this equipment.”

Nora looked around to the meat bags still hanging from some of the towers. “It doesn’t look very clean to me. In fact, it smells worse than the last time I was here.”

His headset slid from his ears and rested around his neck. “My thoughts exactly, but I think you should be the one to tell them that. I’ll be nearby if anyone gets too mouthy.” He said while keeping his eyes on his compass in front of him. Suddenly, a hand landed on her right shoulder, startling her.

“Easy there, _Paladin_.” She turned to face Knight Rhys, and his unusual cheeriness caught her off guard. “I’m your escort while you’re on the ground for the next few hours.” She breathed a sigh of relief before climbing down from the aircraft. Arthur tossed her a duffel bag and powered the engine back up, flipping a few switches before taking off.

A peek inside the bag made her question her sanity, as she reached in and pulled out Righteous Authority. Her eyes welled up with tears, but she blinked them away just as quickly. “My laser rifle..”

  
Feeling eyes on her back, Nora turned to face Rhys. “What’s so special about a rifle?”

The gun whooshed as she loaded a fusion cell into it, and she paused. “True peace can only be achieved with superior firepower.”

She composed herself and walked into the yard of the satellite array, meeting the Paladin of team Pugnus at the gate. He spoke up when he noticed the two of them approach. “Do the two of you have business here, Paladin Klain?”

Rhys scoffed. “We’re here on official business from Elder Maxson himself.”

The other Paladin held up a hand to silence him. “Mind your rank soldier, I’m not here to be lectured by a subaltern. What is your business here, Paladin?

She looked at the Knight, and back at the commanding officer of Pugnus. “Maxson wants report as to why this place is still a dump when you’ve been here for three weeks.”

He laughed. “A dump, is it? Why didn’t Maxson send a more capable magistrate to berate us, then?”

The pair scowled at him. “Capable? I’m the one who exterminated the hive to begin with!” She lectured. “I can’t believe the amount of impertinence I’m getting from some lazy instigator.”

A look of smug self-assurance came to the Paladin’s face. “ _Lazy?_ At least I’ve never missed a day of work. You’re more of a lapdog, with a precarious sense of credibility.”

  
Without thinking, Nora stepped forward and butted him in the nose with the handle of her rifle, putting her weight into the jab. He fell to his knees and braced his bloody nose, before she threw an official report to his feet.

Rhys did a double-take before she spoke again. “Your lack of progress and condescending tone is unacceptable, soldier! I didn’t liberate this post in the name of the Brotherhood to be bad-mouthed by the likes of some insubordinate hellion. I demand respect, and by God I will have it. You have twenty-four hours to get the guts off of these walls, or I’ll be back personally to put you through them!” She demanded.

After a moment of silence, the man on the ground nodded, followed by a “Yes, ma’am.”

Nora helped the Paladin to his feet, before saluting and motioning for her escort to lead the way. “I’m not angry, I’m just letting you know where you stand.”

The two of them strut away, and Rhys lost it as they left earshot. “Never thought I’d hear myself say it, but you did a hell of a job Paladin. That guy was ornery as all get out but you still put him in his place. It’s too bad you’re leaving, I’m sure even Danse would want you to stay after everything that’s happened.”

The smile left her face. It wasn’t hard for her to pretend that he was dead, the thought of him still filled her with grief. “It doesn’t matter what that _synth_ wanted.” Her cheek twitched as she spewed her pseudo-venom.

  
“You’re telling me..” He raised his eyebrows. “So uh, I hate that it’s gotta be this way, but I want to be straight with you. I have two sets of orders, and while we’re out here on foot I don’t want you getting any ideas. Maxson told me that if you make a break for it, my job is to aim for the lower extremities. I don’t want to take your leg off, Paladin, but I know you’ve got people waiting for you in that fort. Just don’t be stupid.” He finished.

The expression on his face made her uneasy, so she finally asked, “What else is bothering you?”

After a moment he answered, “What did it say to you to make you betray the Brotherhood?”

Her heart sped up. Did Rhys know that she let Danse go? She blinked hard to fight the tears trying to accumulate. “It didn’t say anything. I just didn’t agree with Maxson’s decision, so I left after the whole ordeal.”

Rhys scoffed again, and Nora turned to him. “Is something funny?”

“That’s exactly the problem. If anybody else had done what you did, it probably would have ended in their _execution_. You had direct orders to remain on the Prydwen until given further instruction, because the calamity with Danse had everyone on their toes. It was incredibly stupid to go AWOL under your circumstances, and you’re grossly underestimating the Elder’s mercy in light of his delirious affection towards you.”

She straightened up. “Watch your tone, Knight. The situation is far more complicated that I care to explain.”

They didn’t make it far before Elder Maxson picked them up again, flying them to the next location on the list. “When I said don’t take lip, I didn’t mean to assault the first person who questions you.” He briefly reprimanded.

“With all due respect, sir, he had it coming.” Nora cracked.

Rhys spoke up over the whipping of blades, “He was fighting for jurisdiction, but he had about a snowball’s chance in hell. Klain had him back in line before either of us knew what hit him. Can’t imagine he’s gonna stop feeling sore about losing that standoff anytime soon.”

  
After lunch, they returned to the Prydwen with no less than double the normal flight deck crew patiently awaiting Maxson’s return. Knight Rhys climbed out of the vertiberd, followed by Nora, and finally the Elder before he nodded to dismiss the two of them.

They walked away, ignoring the clamor of the crew as their treasured poster child returned, and in no time the Paladin was back in the familiar semblance of her quarters. Rhys opened the top right drawer on the desk, and locked Righteous Authority inside. “As you can imagine, we don’t want you having access to this unless it’s absolutely necessary. Upon your release, it will be returned to you.”

He turned to leave the room, but Nora stopped him. “Wait, does that mean I don’t have to wear a leash anymore?”

No amount of training had prepared the Knight for that question. He stared at the woman in bewilderment. “E-excuse me?”

Their conversation was interrupted by Elder Maxson barging in and answering for him. “I’m sure you’ll be pleased to hear that Knight-Captain Cade is far too busy with other matters to continue with restraint assessment. I took you on this little exercise to test your loyalty, and you passed with flying colors. As a reward, you’ve earned back a little more of your freedom.”

Nora’s eyes floated over to Rhys, still in shock from the outlandish situation he found himself entangled in. “I’ve hardly earned anything, Elder. I don’t exactly deserve a reward for not running from an armed chaperone.”

“The end result is the same. I trust you not to leave these quarters without my permission, because believe me, you won’t like it if I have to tie you up again.” He warned.

“Yes, sir.” She nodded solemnly.

The tension hung in the air as Maxson shifted his attention to Knight Rhys. “I expect you to remain tight-lipped about what you’ve experienced today, and I want a private report the minute we leave this room.”

“Of course, sir.” Rhys conceded.

Arthur returned Nora’s knapsack to the seat in front of the desk before making for the door. “Until we meet again, do take care.”

She slumped on the bed, crossing her legs. “Steel be with you, Elder.”

  
The door closed after a moment, and relief washed over her as she was once again alone with her thoughts. Nothing that happened over the last twenty-four hours was even considered to be inside her realm of possibility, and a large smile crept onto her face as she mused fondly over the fantastic speculation. Before long, a vague sense of dread began to taunt her, and she pulled both hands from between her thighs to check on her settlements.

With bated breath, she dialed through her Pip-Boy, and the happiness of The Castle had been diminished to a measly fifty percent. They had everything they needed: supplies, beds, and enough firepower to light up the Boston Harbor. It didn’t make any sense that they were miserable. She closed her eyes and said a small prayer. “Just let them hold out a little bit longer.”

As the day dragged on, the tight collar of the orange uniform began to bother Nora, so she unzipped her flight suit and stripped out of it, folding it neatly before pulling the top drawer open. A previously barren dresser now yielded dozens of articles of intimate regalia, topped off with a handwritten note which read, “quick enough? xx.”

His handwriting was lovely, and she brought the note close to her crinkled nose to admire the penmanship, before surrendering to the fact that it wasn’t the note she was swooning over.

The bra she was wearing was pulled from her shoulders with little effort, and in her starkness she perused the apparel until she settled on a royal blue underwear set. She fit out the garments while digging through the drawer inferior to the first, and withdrew a white tank top before throwing it over herself.

  
Surprisingly, Cade’s absence was painfully noticed, and the day went by slower without a single visit over his twelve-hour shift, as opposed to the regular six. Dinner time came, and Nora was flattered that Elder Maxson returned again to deliver her meal.

She looked away from the mirror she was fixing her hair in, and flashed him a large smile. “Just this once, I’m disappointed to see you instead of the squire. I was really looking forward to taking a bath after last night.”

After a moment, he looked down at the floor and back up at her. “Well I’d hate to upset the applecart.” He paused. “How does a shower sound?”

Her eyes squinted as her smile grew wider. “Do you mean it?”

The look on her face found itself mirrored on his own, and a sigh escaped him as he fell trapped in limerence. “Of course, anything you want.”

A hand shot up over her chin, and she pressed the back of it to her warm cheek. “Stop it Elder, you’re making me blush.”

His smile remained as he remembered his etiquette. “What did I say about my expectations of decorum in your private quarters?”

Rolling her eyes dramatically, she fell backwards onto the bed. “That you appreciate the sentiment. You do understand that this won’t be an overnight adjustment?” She said while twirling her hair with her fingers.

  
Arthur slid in beside Nora in her bed, reaching a hand around her waist to keep her on the narrow mattress. “I don’t intend on letting you get too accustomed to being a kept woman. Speaking of which, I know you said that you weren’t interested in staying with the Brotherhood, and I have no intention of pestering you with it any longer. Would you.. be willing to continue this affair upon your departure?” He stressed out. With waiting eyes, he watched as she rolled to press her form against his, and her left thumb grazed the scar on his face. As he held his breath, she kissed him on the cheek, and once again between his eyebrows.

“I’d like that very much, but what are you going to tell the Brotherhood?” She implored. Nora was just as curious what she was going to tell MacCready, let alone the rest of the Minutemen.

His chest rose and fell. “I’d prefer to tell them the truth eventually, but I would appreciate the chance to discover for ourselves if this is even viable.”

Climbing on top of him, she giggled and smoothed out his lapel. “Clever through and through. Shall we discuss logistics, sir?”

“Facilitation will come in due time, we’ve still got a couple of weeks before I have to let you go.” He said as he brushed his fingers down the edge of her jaw.

Nora closed her eyes at the gesture before she spoke. “What happened to my brooding strategist? _Don’t you want to make your pursuit an intricate enterprise?”_   She leaned down and batted her long eyelashes at him.

The expression on his face wavered for a moment. “I’m afraid I’ve only got a nebulous outline of a plan so far. The predicament I have found myself in is that I can’t give you an entire day out of every week, no matter how much I wish the contrary.”

“How about an entire day out of every other week? We could forge a treaty between the Brotherhood and the Minutemen, and I could visit for a couple of minutes during the week to discuss a rendezvous point.” Nora replied while twirling her hair into a bun.

  
Arthur slid his hands up her sides, before massaging them back down and resting on her thighs. “Forward, but not melodramatic enough for my taste.” He paused. “You aren’t upset that I don’t have more time to spare?”

Grabbing his hands and pulling them over her chest, she arched backwards in a stretch. “Of course not, it would be unrealistic of me to expect more. And to be quaint, I’d settle for nothing short of invisible ink and carrier pigeon from you.”

“Nothing is too good for you, my dear.” He beamed before checking his watch. “I’ve got eight minutes to debriefing with the Paladin of team Pugnus, so I’m afraid that shower is going to have to wait another hour or two. He’s filed enough reports and citations against you to warrant at least ninety days of mandatory suspension.”

Nora chuckled. “I've got time. He spent all day on his lazy ass when he could’ve been helping his team clean up the satellite array.”

Shifting her weight, she felt the large anomaly in his suit, before running her hands down the length of it. Arthur gasped as she eased him out of the fly of his pants, kicking a leg over him and flipping around. “Now that’s an ass I want to think about.” He smiled, grasping either side of her cheeks and kneading them in his hands, immediately followed by slapping his right hand down hard on her rear.

“Oh!” She exclaimed, feeling the blood rush to her face. The hand on his member began pumping quickly, as she stroked her tongue in circular motions.

Eyes crossed and clinging to rationality, Arthur rode his hands up her hips once more, and slowly peeled her panties down them. Anticipation burned in her as she took him deeper in her throat.

He had to get the upper hand, if he finished in under a minute there would be hell to pay. In a lapse of thinking, he stuck his thumb in his mouth and quickly withdrew it, before leaning forward and sliding his tongue over her clit in a wavelike motion. A gasp escaped her before he slipped his thumb into her ass, and her whole body contracted.

After a moment of paralysis, she continued pumping, constricting her grip and sucking audibly on his shaft. The Elder craned his head in an attempt to catch a glimpse of her through squinted eyes as she pumped him dry.

His hips lifted off of the mattress as his toes curled, and Nora mumbled to herself through closed lips while she contained the sloppy mess. After swallowing, she wiped her mouth with her forearm and grabbed Arthur’s left wrist. “While I appreciate the effort, I can assure you that I won’t get off in under three minutes.”

  
Elder Maxson took a second to catch his breath. “Maybe not this time, but I’ll take a rain check on a challenge anyday.”

Nora dismounted from him and threw on a robe from a nearby hook on the wall. “Don’t chalk yourself up too much, prodigy. I might not be able to wait until you come back before I debrief myself.”

“You should come down with me.” He started. “Imagine the look on his face when we walk in together.”

A smile made its way to her face. “Not happening. He wants my head on a stick.”

Crossing his arms, he looked at her. “Does that mean you’re intimidated by him? So be it then, it’s your decision entirely whether you’d like to attend.”

“You’re the worst sometimes.” She chuckled, dropping her robe. The metal drawer on her dresser creaked open as she grabbed a flight suit and hurried into it.

“The best in this kind are but shadows, and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them.” Hands surrounded her from seemingly everywhere as he embraced her and finished zipping up her suit.

She slid her arms over his, looking up at him as he towered over her. “If I allowed my imagination to fill you out any more I don’t think I’d know what to do with myself.”

Unable to contain his rapture anymore, he brushed his fingers up her jawline, giving her a gentle nudge into a slow kiss. Nora’s eyes closed and she felt herself wishing that this moment could last just a little bit longer. After a drawn-out minute, the alarm on his watch sounded and they sprung apart from each other as if they had been caught.

  
Clearing his throat, Arthur grabbed the door for her, and they climbed down to the command deck. She followed him into the debriefing, hanging back in the doorway as the Elder took his place at the head of the room.

“Paladin Cole, just the man I wanted to see. I was disappointed to hear about your lack of progress in Malden, as well as your boorishness when addressing your brothers and sisters. Have you had your nose assessed by Cade yet?” Maxson pressed.

With two black eyes, he glared right at Nora. “Doc says it’s shattered. You owe me a gold tooth too, _bitch_.”

The woman grimaced before Maxson snapped his fingers, returning their attention to him. “Her wrath only saved you from mine. Point in fact, I’d like you to apologize.”

“A-apologize?! She broke my nose! And I come back here to find out she’s not even supposed to be running field ops! Your voyeurism was somewhat perplexing, but this.. this is unjustifiable!”

  
Nora waited for an explanation, but the guilt was all over Arthur’s face.

“You’ve been watching me for sexual gratification?” She demanded, and her voice cracked with the change in tone.

His hand enveloped itself over his face as he tried to hide it from her. “Yes, and I’m so very sorry you had to find out like this.”

Covering herself with her arms, Nora backed out of the doorway. “Who knew?”

The Elder brought his fingertips to his forehead, before spreading them out and running his hand through his hair restlessly. “Not everyone per se, but just about anyone you’d care about knowing.”

Gulping, she asked, “Ingram?”

His frown deepened as he toiled through disgrace, and nodded through sad blue eyes.

With another step back, she covered her mouth and squeaked out, _“Danse?”_

Her defeated look broke his heart, but not as much as the woe in her plea. “Yes, even Danse.”

   
“Where the fuck is she going? If I’m getting reamed for bad-mouthing, what is her punishment for breaking my nose?” Cole blurted out.

After taking a deep breath, Maxson replied, “She’s only in the Brotherhood for another eighteen days, I’m afraid that beyond that period of time her punishment will be out of my hands.”

The awkward silence that followed was broken by the whack of a book slamming onto the floor. Nora looked up to Knight Rhys’ self-authorized entry. “No, Arthur! According to the Codex, she has to serve any and all mandatory minimum sentences before being allowed to transition back into civilian life, and you of all people know that.”

Arthur looked at Nora, then back at Rhys. “Besides desertion, the protocol for her misconduct is suspension. I don’t see why it would be unfit to allow her to serve her remaining seventy-two days of suspension in the company of the Minutemen.”

“Rhys, I saved your life! How could you throw me under the bus like this?” Nora called out behind him, and he spun around to face her.

“From the start the Brotherhood has been a joke to you. I _knew_ you still cared about that synth.. I’ll bet you haven’t even read the fucking Codex!” He fumed.

   
Her expression changed as she tried to collect herself. “Give way your suspicions to the wisdom of thine Elder. The Codex says where he shows trust, so shall you.”

“That would be an excellent point, _if_   he trusted you. Which he _doesn’t_ , even after he fucked you!” Rhys shrieked.

The room grew silent. They both looked at the Elder as his increasing reticence made her realize that no matter how much she hated it, Knight Rhys was right.

It became difficult to breathe as she backed away from them, the command deck closing in on her. Nora slowly retreated until her back hit the cold ladder, turning on her tiptoes and sprinting for the back hatch. She heard the storm of footsteps behind her, and spun the dial on the door all the way closed. Tears streamed down her face as she pushed past a single scribe on the flight deck and darted for the crate to the left of the bow. She kept her eye to the door this time, not breaking her gaze with Arthur when he finally emerged moments later.

Clearly rattled, he howled, “Nora please! Your destiny is no longer just yours, it’s mine too.”

Her lip quivered and she pointed at him. “I can’t love someone who doesn’t trust me, Arthur. I’m just sorry I never gave you a reason to.”

Frigid wind burned her face, worsening with each tear that fell down it. Nora closed her eyes as she listened to his boots slam against the metal platform as he sprinted tumultuously down the span of the flight deck.

  
She stepped from the crate into oblivion, as she felt her bearings fly well above her. If someone was screaming for her, she couldn’t have heard it with the deafening wind in her ears, and the cold air piercing her skin as she plummeted to the earth.

As quickly as she made contact with the water, she was already at the bottom of the icy radiated depths and bouncing back up to the surface. A quick snap somewhere below her waist made itself known, but her body was numb from the freezing cold. No longer insensible, she could hear the blare of alarms and the whipping of vertiberds, and took a deep breath before diving back under the murky water and making a break desperately for The Castle.

Halfway across the harbor, Nora’s right ankle was starting to throb. She dared not to look down and just kept swimming towards land. By some miracle, MacCready spotted her orange suit on the water and broke into a run for the front gate.

  
She dragged herself to shore, wrestling her arms out of the sopping wet flight suit before someone saw her in a Brotherhood uniform. RJ came to her aid, and as he approached he shielded his eyes. “Hey I know we’re close and all, but you should probably not strip nude out here in the cold. By the way, have you lost your fucking mind?!”

Nora glared at him before maneuvering the clearly broken ankle out of her boot. “I was just doing what you told me to do.”

Eyeing the injury, he shuffled out of his coat and threw it over her, scooping an arm under her legs and lifting her up. “You’re gonna be the death of me.”

Nora spoke through chattering teeth, “Which is exactly why I didn’t want you going with me to the airport. I’d t-t-trade all the time in the world and both legs before I let you leave my sight, Bobby.”

He could feel the smile force its way to his face, and he sighed. “If you pick any more big fights and get yourself kidnapped again, you bet your cute little ass that I’m coming after you.”

As he carried her into the courtyard, she curled in close to steal his body heat. “Is this a bad time to remind you of your language?”

Shifting an arm beneath her, he blushed. “You scared me, my bad mouth isn’t the first thing on my mind when I’ve got people to worry about.”

  
They made it to the General’s quarters, and Nora stabbed herself with a stimpak before MacCready tucked her in. Something was off, but he couldn’t place it for the life of him. He backed up, locking the doors with the ancient cabin latch.

“Oh that feels so much better.” She groaned, bringing her knees to her chest. “You’re the best, RJ.”

He kicked off his shoes on his way to Nora, before pulling himself into bed behind her. “You bring out the best in me.”

The room spun around as she clung to her bed sheets to stay put. A rush of malaise washed over her and she rolled on her other shoulder, where she sat face to face with MacCready. “You’re my best friend, Bobby. Please don’t ever leave me.”

He gazed in her eyes for a moment before they fluttered shut, Nora nuzzling her head against the pillow. RJ brushed a strand of hair behind her ear before kissing her on the forehead. “I promise.”

The harder he looked at her, the more marks and bruises appeared on her skin. A Bindu Mala of distinct love bites traced delicate patterns all over her form, and he didn’t let himself wonder about how she spent her time in captivity. Resentment overcame him, as he knew there was no way he could ever ask Nora what happened.

   
Before he knew it, morning was upon them again and Nora was clutched tightly in his arms. Her hair didn’t smell like soap for once, but was replaced by a hint of mud and seaweed. Regardless, he loved the feeling of her hair tickling his face as he held her.

After a few moments of being awake, RJ jumped backwards at the realization that he had long overstepped his boundaries. “Sh-Nora I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.. to..” His apology trailed off as she reached for his hand and returned it to its former position over her left breast, and he could feel her heart racing as fast as his.

“I’m so cold Bobby, hold me.” She plead.

Hesitating for a second, he complied, nestling his other arm beneath her and wrapping himself around the woman in bed with him.

Another sigh left his lips. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything your heart desires. I’ve been meaning to be more open with you lately.” She purred, and her sweet talk made his chest pound even harder.

“Do you want to tell me what happened with the Brotherhood?” He felt guilty for even asking, Nora was gracing him with adulation and he was pulling at her fresh wounds.

Silence fell between them for a moment before she spoke again. “I do want to tell you, but I’m telling you right now that you don’t want to know.”

“I don’t know about that, have you looked in a mirror lately? You look like you were attacked by a sea monster.” His curiosity was piqued, and he saw her fumble her fingers along a light trail of bruises on the inside of her thigh.

  
“You were right about Elder Maxson. It turns out he did, in fact want to do some pretty lecherous things to me.” Nora watched him as she spoke, and his lip trembled as her fingers danced higher on her legs.

“Uh-huh.. I mean-what did he want to do?” Dumbfoundment overcame him, and she smirked at his perversion.

“A bit of this, a bit of that. You know how greenhorns are.” She turned her head and whispered in his ear.

“You’re no fun. Does that mean it was over in the first five minutes?” MacCready pried.

Rolling her eyes to him, she blurted out, “Does that mean you can do better?”

“Oh you bet I could-” His face felt hot before he even finished saying it. “That’s not what I meant, uh, did you.. enjoy yourself?”

Teasing a finger down her chest, she replied, “If I’m being honest, by the time we got around to it I was pretty fond of the idea. I don’t think I could’ve refused him after keeping him in a scissor lock for two hours.” She giggled.

“Ff-” MacCready started. “Two hours, huh?”

Nora nodded slowly, biting her bottom lip. “I was nice and ready before I climbed on him.”

His eyes got wide. “You got on top of that guy?”

“He was so gentle.. up until I told him not to be.” Said the blonde, tauntingly.

RJ sat up and took a deep breath. “I gotta get out of here.”

   
Confused, she raised her voice as he got out of bed. “Where are you going?”

“I don’t know what they did to you, Nora, but I think you’re still under the effects of it. If he’s been taking advantage of you, I’m not going to do the same thing. You need a doctor, so I’m going to go get the only one I trust.” He sighed, and Nora tossed him his duster before wrapping a blanket around herself.

“That’s insane, the Brotherhood would never drug me.” She insisted.

The door opened a tiny bit before he slammed it back shut. “You have _no_ idea what the Brotherhood would never do.” He said, walking back over to the bed. Grabbing her shoulders, he spoke intently to her, “I really need you to stay in this room. Keep the door locked and don’t open it for anybody except me, I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

As Nora nodded her head, MacCready gave her a worried look before tossing her hair out of her face. The Pip-Boy on the table caught his eye and he handed it to her, along with a holotape game. “Just stay here, please.”

She popped in the holotape and started zooming her Vault Boy through Pipfall. “That depends on how long you keep me waiting.”

A frustrated grunt left him, as he got a running start to Goodneighbor.

  
Nora continued directing her avatar around looking for bobble heads, while checking the time intermittently. Knocking at her door filled the air and interrupted her game. “MacCready? Is that you?”

Silence greeted her.

“Bobby?” She asked, quieter this time.

Whoever was behind the door remained anonymous, but she doubted it was RJ.

She covered herself with a Minuteman coat before walking barefoot across the stone room. Opening the door, she was stunned to come face to face with Deacon.

“D-Deacon? What the hell are you doing here?” She stammered, pulling her coat together.

“Welcome back, Charmer. Remember what I said about trusting strangers?” Interrogated the bald man.

Shaking her head, she narrowed her eyes and looked at him. “Yeah.. I remember.”

His nostrils flared, and he let out a small laugh. “Listen, if you’re gonna _fuck_ one of my adversaries out in the open, don’t be mad at me for watching. Be mad at me for thinking about it when I got home.” He winked.

  
A tinge of arousal tugged at her. Was MacCready right about her being drugged, or was Deacon actually attractive without a cheap wig?

Interrupting her thoughts, he spoke again. “Did you check for the bug?”

Nora’s eyes nearly fell out of her head at his words. “Bug.. bug! I’m an _idiot!”_   She shouted, before digging through her damp uniform on the floor and pulling out the plastic firefly.

A cringe sat on his face as he held out a hand, and Nora gave him her Pip-Boy. He rolled it over in his hands, opening the latch and carefully studying every inch of the device. He extended the adapter plug and eyed the conductor pin. “Crafty bastard had a scribe onsite all night long. Did he have to tell you to take it off?”

Crossing her arms, she sighed. “Do you really have to ask? That cord isn’t as long as it’s supposed to be.”

His eyes peeked up at her over his sunglasses, and he pulled a screwdriver from his pocket. As he popped off the back cover, their eyes both fell on the piece of technology that was clearly not part of the original design. Once more he tugged on the adapter plug, and the spool wound upwards before the cord extended fully, no longer impeded by the device pushing down on it. “Good eye, Charmer.”

The screwdriver slid under the device, pushing it out of place and leaving crude scratch marks in its wake. Deacon held onto the bug as he popped the back cover over her Pip-Boy, before dropping the gadget on the floor and stomping on it. “I hope you heard that, chauvinist _prick_.”

  
They both stopped when they heard a bustle of footsteps running down The Castle halls. RJ turned the corner, followed by Dr. Amari and Hancock, to Nora’s surprise. The three of them charged into the east tower, and paid no mind to Deacon as MacCready shut the double doors and Dr. Amari pulled open the General’s Minuteman coat to begin her assessment.

The doctor palpated at her patient’s neck and abdomen while Hancock grabbed either side of her face. “You’re doped up on something sweetheart. Take a look at these pupils, doc. Hardly any of those lovely blue irises to be seen.”

Amari removed the pen light from her lab coat, and flashed it over each eye quickly. “Her pulse is racing, as well. What kind of stimulant would the Brotherhood of Steel want Mrs. Klain to be on?”

“I’ve got some ideas.” Hancock rolled his black eyes. “But I’m not worried about the effects of the chems, they should be wearing off. I’m hoping it doesn’t have any withdrawal effects. You said she was up there for twelve days, Mac?”

Amari nodded her head. “Excellent point, Mayor Hancock. I can screen for chems in her urine when I perform the hCG exam.”

Nora whipped her head at MacCready. “What on earth did you tell them?”

The doctor held up her hands to calm her. “Robert hardly told us anything, other than that he believes the Brotherhood was chemically coercing you.”

  
“Oh she needs a pregnancy test.” Deacon interjected. “This one likes it raw.”

“Who the fuck are you?” RJ exclaimed.

Doctor Amari turned her head at the vulgar outburst, and adjusted her grip on Nora’s coat to allow for more privacy. “You can trust him, he’s with the Railroad.”

“Don’t worry doc, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. _Love_ the new skivvies by the way.” The spy raised an eyebrow at his pertness. “You can call me Deacon. Let’s just say I keep Nora company while she keeps things interesting; fortunately for me, I doubt that streak is going to end anytime soon. As for you, Capital Wastelander Robert Joseph MacCready, I usually don’t tail people who make a point of flying under the radar, key word usually. Just keep in mind that in the ant farm that is the Commonwealth, I’ve got dirt on everyone.”

MacCready reared back in preparation for a response, but even to his own dismay he had nothing. He raised a finger. “You.. you get out while the General is naked.”

Deacon cocked his head arrogantly before letting himself out. “You got it, boss.”  
  
  
Amari continued her descent in the head-to-toe assessment, reaching Nora's legs. "Were these scars present on your left calf before you were detained?"   
  
"It's from mirelurk queen acid." RJ answered for her. "She's lucky she didn't lose her leg."   
  
With a sigh, the doctor asked, "And your right ankle?"  
  
Nora pushed her coat to her thigh so she could inspect the injury for herself. "That one is a bit more recent, I landed on it funny. But listen, we really can skip the hCG exam, I didn't start sleeping with him until the fourteenth."  
  
Sulking in the corner, MacCready mumbled, "That you know of."  
  
  
Hancock turned his head, and curled what little lip he had into a look of distaste. "You're awfully opinionated all of a sudden."   
  
"I can't imagine you wouldn't be angry if this happened to someone you cared about right under your nose!" Bobby raised his voice in irritation.   
  
"It _did_   happen to someone I care about. I'm gonna write that last part off as a poor choice of words. This time. There's no shame in taking a walk to avoid saying something.. less easily forgiven. I'd suggest you take my advice." The ghoul said sternly.   
  
MacCready looked up at Nora in defense, but her eyes were already closed to shield herself from his pleading gaze. "Fine, I'll leave. I.. guess I'll be nearby if you guys need anything."   
  
He continued to stare at her until her eyes re-opened. "You know you're still my favorite, Bobby."  
  
Flushed, he pouted and stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind him. 


	4. Gunning It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nora and MacCready have a heart-to-heart, and an unexpected wrench is tossed into their blossoming relationship.

MacCready decided to get an early start on his watch shift, climbing to the top of The Castle and approaching Piper as she ravaged a box of Slocum’s buzzbites.

He caught her attention, and with a mouthful of food she gave him a dorky grin. “Haburmaber ertern rawhrolrbrock erdawhrohnts erwonbigh?”

The former mercenary raised an eyebrow in curious disgust. “Come again?”

After a moment, she swallowed the mass of donuts in her maw and repeated herself. “Have you ever eaten a whole box of donuts in one bite?”

Eyeing the empty box, he replied, “I can’t say I have. Where did you even get those?”

Piper pulled out another box as she said, “That Railroad guy with the shades, Deacon. He said they up your perception, maybe you could use some. Since you’re blind, apparently.”

 

The box was yanked out of her hands while he glared at her defensively. “Okay, now what the heck is that supposed to mean?”

“Nora has feelings for you, moron. You can’t be angry at her for pouncing on that Maxson guy when she wants to be with you.”

MacCready stammered, “I.. I’m not mad at her for having sex with him. I’m mad that when I warn her, I’m being overprotective, however when I’m right, I’m overreacting. She doesn’t realize that Maxson had every chance to disable her while she was still in the water. In fact, he can still storm this place and we wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing about it..” He paused. “But even the most powerful man in the Commonwealth wasn’t optimistic about deterring Nora from her infatuation with Danse on his own. Why should I be?”

“Are you kidding me? I think I’m the only one who wasn’t surprised that Danse was a robot." She patted him on the shoulder. "I can’t imagine he has much to offer in the romance department.”

RJ chuckled. “Thanks for the reassurance, but he more than makes up for himself elsewhere. She adores him.”

An elbow jabbed him in the arm, and he looked back up at Piper. “But you’re her _favorite._ ”

Bitterness overcame him and he frowned. “She acts like I don’t know it’s only by default.”

 

“Stop feeling sorry for yourself.” The mouthy brunette jested. “You’ve still got two hours before you need to be up here, and I think you oughta use the time to make some progress.”

He scoffed. “Make progress? If I tell her how I feel and she feels the same, I don’t know if that’s her or the chems talking. On top of that.. she might still be pissed about me blue balling her this morning.”

The reporter raised an eyebrow. “Blue balling her? Don’t leave me out on this one.”

Pointing a finger at her, he sternly said, _“Oh no,_ I’ve already told you way too much. You and your big mouth can wait until after I settle things with Nora.”

Piper cocked her head as she nodded in agreement. “Probably for the best. I’ll see you at 2200, killer.” The coprophagous grin on her face signaled him to the courtyard, where Nora finally emerged from the east hall.

 

They both watched as the General beelined for the doghouse, greeting the German Shepherd with a smile. She felt weird without her vault suit, but McGann’s coat was better than freezing to death. MacCready strolled down to her with his hands in his pockets, growing more terrified with each step. His foot landed on a loose brick, and the clacking sound made Nora look up at him.

As they made eye contact, she scratched the back of her head and sighed. “I suppose I owe you an apology, and my gratitude. My urine screen came back, and I was dosed with a ‘potent serotonergic antidepressant.’” She air-quoted. “You can say I told you so now.”

RJ lowered his eyes as he reached the landing of the courtyard. “You don’t have anything to be sorry about, I’m the one who made.. well I embarrassed myself.”

The gap between them closed as Nora approached. “Don’t be ashamed of doing the right thing. If you never went with your gut, I would’ve never known how much of a creep Maxson really is.”

His jaw unclenched, and a small chuckle eluded him. “I.. told you so. But as far as my grievances go, right now I just want to know if you got the Brotherhood off our backs.”

“I think we should have this conversation somewhere more private.” Nora replied as a spotlight passed over them. Uneasily, RJ watched as she looked around to see if anyone had overheard their conversation thus far.

 

Her response hit him like a ton of bricks, and he knew he wasn’t going to like whatever it was she had to say. They retreated back into the General’s quarters, and MacCready sat on the footboard of the bed. “Hoo, alright. Shoot.”

She crossed her arms and exhaled hard. “Do you want the good news, or the bad news first?”

RJ fidgeted with his collar, contemplating the question. “Bad news first, get it out of the way.”

“The Brotherhood actually gave me a pretty reasonable offer, thirty days of imprisonment followed by a minimum ninety day suspension-”

“I said _bad_ news first.” MacCready pestered.

“I’m getting there!” She raised her voice back. “If I had _completed_ my sentence, I would have been discharged and relieved of my rank, no questions asked. But as you can see, impending doom is preferable to whatever else that little pervert would have subjected me to.” Rubbing her temples, she paused to weigh heavily on how to word her next sentiment. “Almost the entire Commonwealth Brotherhood, including Danse, knew that Maxson was spying on me for kicks. To make matters worse, no less than a handful of people on the Prydwen are now aware I’ve.. indulged both of them. It would be far too humiliating to show my face at that airport again.”

“Okay.. I suppose I see your dilemma now.” He started. “So going back to the Brotherhood again is probably a bad idea, unless you want Elder Maxson to trick you into being his little pet forever..”

 

Nora shot him a glare and he raised his hands in defense. “That joke was probably in poor taste. Is he at least good-looking?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Does it matter?”

“That’s a yes.” Bobby chuckled. “You sure the word you’re looking for is 'humiliating?' Between Paladin Danse and Elder Maxson, I’m sure half of your _sisters_ want to skin you alive.”

She scoffed in response. “If that’s the best of the best, I kind of feel bad for the other women. Those boys are nice to look at, but they’ve gotta loosen up if they plan on snagging a bride with their bedside manner.”

The footboard creaked as she climbed up next to him on the end of the bed, and MacCready fiddled with his hands in his lap. “It’s probably stupid that I have to ask this, but what exactly does that mean in terms of your plans.. for being with either of them?”

“My plans for them?” Nora stared at the ground before shaking her head. “No, it’s not a stupid question at all. I suppose for Danse, there’s no point in holding my breath when he never said he was coming back. As for Arthur.. I suppose that one is a bit more complicated. I told him I wanted to be with him, and at the time, I believed those feelings were my own. Now, he doesn’t trust me as far as he could throw me. Which is probably pretty far, actually.” She cracked up, and he joined in before they stifled their laughter.

“You know Danse is coming back, right? He’d be crazy not to, and he’s wild about you.” RJ plead in defense of the former Paladin.

“Well I don’t plan on keeping myself sequestered in his absence. Which brings me to my good news.”

 

Nora reached into her pocket, pulling her hand out as a tight fist. “I’m so sorry I ever doubted you. From now on, you have my imperishable trust. You mean the world to me, and you’ve been more loyal than Paladin Danse ever was. I want you to know that I mean it every time I tell you you’re my favorite, because up until now, I nixed my proclamation of love to you out of fear. The truth is, I’m afraid to lose you, Bobby.”

MacCready shook his head in disbelief as she grabbed for his hand, bringing her fist over his palm before opening it. He gazed up at his prepossessing partner, then back down at the ring in his hand before he stammered out, “I-I can’t take this, Nora.”

Puffing her chest out, she replied, “Nate would want you to have it. The only thing he ever wanted to do in life was protect me. He’d be so grateful..” She trailed off and cupped her hands over his. “He’d be so grateful that I have someone to care for me so selflessly, despite all the pressing issues in your own life that need to be addressed. I’ll never be able to repay you.”

MacCready took an uneasy breath. “And I don’t want you to. Ever. You don’t owe me a damn thing.” He swallowed. “I look out for you.. because I love you, Nora. But you need to promise me that you won't put yourself in harm's way the next time you get your heart broken. I miss Lucy every single day, but I keep on keeping on because I made a commitment to do everything I can to give our son a better life. Well.. I'm sure you can relate.”

The air caught in his throat while her big eyes rolled up to meet his. He braced for impact as the General closed his grasp over the tiny treasure. “I’d be lying if I said that I don’t still love my husband immensely, but I had no intention of misleading you under the pretense that I didn’t. If you’re still in love with your wife, say the word and we can pretend that none of this happened. But you’re taking that ring, like it or not.”

  
  
“I didn’t mean it like that.” He started, tucking the ring in his pocket for safe keeping. “I meant that, you just have so much going on, with your husband, the Institute.. the Brotherhood. Why are you bothering with someone like me right now?”

Cocking her head, she raised her tone in offense. “Someone like you? Bobby you’re my guardian angel, I don’t deserve someone like you. Since Danse has been gone, you’ve stuck by my side. You had every chance to run away when things got hard, but even when I was captured you stepped up and kept my affairs in order. It’s time we both started focusing on the blessings we have in front of us, no matter how hard it is not to dwell on the ones behind us.”

Captivated, RJ took his cap off, wringing it between his hands. “I’m telling you, sweetheart. I hate being alone, but it doesn’t mean that man deserves to have something like you yanked out from underneath him.”

  
  
She danced her fingers up his arm. “Something like me?”

Every hair on his body stood on end, and he met her gaze. “You’re really special, Nora. From the moment I saw you guys in The Third Rail, I knew that you were gonna do a number on me. But when Danse emerged from his power armor shell, he didn’t just reveal a strapping cavalier. Even dead drunk, I had to dig through so many layers of respect before he caved the slightest on putting any crude business out there. For a brute like him to snag a bombshell who gets down and dirty, I was happy for him. No, I was _jealous_ of him.”

Nora sat up, before hiking a leg over his lap. “Well here’s your chance, hotshot. If I’m so coveted, why not share?”

RJ’s eyes went wide “Sh-share? Like at the same time?” He stuttered out, hovering a hand over her thigh before wrapping his fingers around her bony knee.

Hot breath tickled his ear as she whispered into it, “Don’t you think I can handle the both of you at once?”

He paused, dropping his hat as she bounced her foot in a circular pattern. “Oh honey, I don’t know if you can handle one of me at once.” His grip tightened, and arousal flooded her body as he lowered his tone. “You’d better be sure the next time you try and hop on me.. Don’t want to go signing up for any more commitments you’re not ready for.”

 

Nora snatched her leg off his lap, before throwing the opposite one over MacCready and climbing on top of him. “Is that a threat, Robert?”

“It’s a firm.. suggestion.” He sat in awe as she began to gyrate on his perceivable erection, shifting his grip from the footboard to her rear. “You’re not mad at me for blue balling you?”

He pushed her hips in rhythm thoughtlessly, thunderstruck as the woman on top of him began to unbutton her blouse, pulling her breasts out of the top of the royal blue brassiere beneath it.

As his breathing grew shallow, she continued bearing down, adding more pressure to his member through the rise of his pants. He tried to lift her hips off at the last second, and his eyes rolled to the back of his head as Nora fought against the resistance of his restraint. Small fusses spouted from him as his face ripened into a bright red, followed by a moment of repose.

“That’s what you get for blue balling me. I’d say we’re even.”

 

After his mania subsided, MacCready finally replied, “Was that a punishment or a reward?”

Nora wrapped her fingers around his wrist, bringing his closed fist closer to her. She fumbled in his pockets, plucking out Nate’s ring and sliding it onto his ring finger. “It even fits. Can’t argue with that, can you Mac?”

“I’d be thrilled if I didn’t have to change my pants.. can’t watch The Castle looking like a geek..” He sighed shakily.

The vault-dweller hopped off of her watchman, heading over towards the dresser and pulling out a pair of slacks, wrapping it around her waist and eyeballing the companion, before tossing them over to him. “These should fit you.”

As he shuffled into them, Nora covered both eyes. She pressed her fingertips firmly into her brow, until suddenly they were pulled away from her. RJ stood before her, clasping her hands within his own, while taking turns admiring Nora and her gift. He grabbed her face softly, tugging her into him and brushing her lips with the smallest of kisses. After catching his breath, he spoke again. “If you want to be together, I’ll try not to mess things up. But you can’t expect Danse to have the same reasoning..”

“Then more for you.” She cut him off. “I love you, MacCready. If he tries to makes me choose, Danse will just be another synth seeking refuge here, no more. After he turned tail and ran, he has no right to give me ultimatums, but I won’t be the one to turn him away so he can be slaughtered by the Brotherhood.”

Stunned, Bobby nodded as the alarm showed on his face. “I.. just can’t believe you would choose me over him. Are you sure?”

 

Nora crinkled her nose as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “As sure as the sun rises.. speaking of which..” Her Pip-Boy rolled up, and the display on it read ten o’clock.

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll see you at sunrise, beautiful.” The top of her head welcomed another brief kiss before he shuffled out to his watch post.

 

RJ stared towards Boston, watching explosions flicker through the otherwise dark city. Every few minutes, he’d take a lap around the front of the perimeter to stretch his legs, eyeing over the shoulder of the Minuteman at the gate.

Towards the middle of his shift, his attention began to drag, so he pulled out the box of buzzbites Piper had offered him. He shoveled three or four into his mouth before setting the carrier on the ground, eyeing the ten or so coffee-filled donuts remaining. “How the hell does she eat the whole box in one bite?” MacCready mumbled through a mouthful of food.

Turning his attention back to the horizon, Bobby squinted his eyes. To the west, a small vertiberd whipped over the premises surrounding the opposite side of the bay. It rotated in place, before touching down on the small parking structure. MacCready sprinted counter-clockwise around the edge of the castle, getting frustrated as he tried to make out tiny figures in the darkness.

He drew his gun, aiming it to the other side of the water in hopes of identifying the pilot. The scope came into focus, and between the coat and the officer’s uniform, confirmation was as good as his. RJ smirked while he racked a round into the chamber. “I don’t know what your problem is.. but I’ll bet it’s hard to pronounce.”

Just as the words left his lips, the target turned towards The Castle. A breath caught in the sniper’s throat as they undoubtedly made eye contact. Maxson stared intently, before bringing his palm upwards and motioning his fingers towards himself.

RJ was petrified, his finger glued to the trigger guard. “Is he telling me to do it?”

Just then, the man in the distance hopped over the guardrail, quickly shuffling into the building immediately to the north.

 

The next four hours consisted of MacCready studying the structure, waiting for anyone to go in or out. As the sun peeked over the horizon, he was almost surprised to see Nora’s blonde hair pop up over the staircase, followed by the rest of her.

“Back on watch already? I’m sure Nick doesn’t mind shouldering your responsibilities for another day or two.”

Nora laughed. “Valentine has work to do. I’ve spent too long staring at the walls of the Prydwen. May as well bide my time staring at something useful.”

Sighing, MacCready threw his arms back in a stretch. “Whatever you say, General. I’m not gonna stop you.”

Everything went dark as small fingers curled over his eyes. “You can try, but that doesn’t mean you’ll succeed. Idle hands do the devil’s work.” Her sentence was punctuated by releasing her watchman and giving him a kiss on the cheek. “Keep me company for this beautiful sunrise?”

His expression softened. “You got it, sunshine. But then I’ve got to head out. Duty calls in Goodneighbor.”

“Goodneighbor?” She made a curious face. “You were just in Goodneighbor yesterday.”

MacCready stammered. “Yeah, a-and I was in a rush. Don’t worry I won’t be long.”

“Okay..” Nora replied, looking somewhat skeptical.   
  
  
  
As the sun crested over the city, he hooked both arms around Nora and pulled her into a tight embrace. She stood frozen in pleasant surprise as he planted his lips on hers, holding her with one arm, and slowly rolling the other up her backside. After her eyes shut, he shot a glance across the basin to the no longer vacant building.

His arms melted down her sides, and the General brought the posterior of her hand to her forehead as a flurry of red streaked across her face. “Oh, stop it you! You’re lucky everyone else is asleep.”

A wicked grin spread across his face as her eyes darted to the ground. “I’ll let you be, for now. You won’t be so lucky when I get back.” He winked as he shot her a finger gun, and her lips pulled up into a tight smirk.

 

On his way out, MacCready tipped his hat to Preston, and headed east into the city. He turned his head as he hit the first intersection, and spotted Nora with her back turned, probably wishing Garvey a good morning at the front gate. Quickly, he darted to the left, heading south on Day Boulevard towards the vertiberd still perched on the elevated parking platform. As he approached the final building along the strip, he saw that the plywood door for the brownstone in the center had been kicked in.

RJ exhaled, drawing his rifle and slowly creeping into the building. Each footstep took impossibly long, as he tried to quietly find Elder Maxson before his own presence was discovered. Wood floors creaked abruptly, and the Minuteman spun around to face a laser rifle, surrounded by an equally menacing adversary.

“If I came here for a stand-off, I would’ve went straight to The Castle.” The larger man spoke.

MacCready exhaled hard through his nose. “You wouldn’t have made it that far, Maxson.”

Arthur huffed, before lowering his weapon. “So you do know who I am. Since that is the case, I would appreciate your cooperation, but I also understand that one must first give trust to receive it. You must be the Robert MacCready that Danse mentioned in his reports.”

“Robert Joseph MacCready.” He corrected, maintaining his aim. “From what I hear, trust isn’t something you’re all too generous with.”

 

Suddenly, the Elder’s left arm sprung forward, clutching the stock of the assault rifle tightly and throwing it to his right, before jabbing his dominant fist into RJ’s cheekbone. As he recoiled, Maxson yanked the weapon out of his hands and kicked the ex-gunner square in the chest, knocking all traces of air from MacCready’s lungs before he slammed onto the warped and rotting hardwood floors.

He sat up, glaring at Arthur through the stars in his eyes. “Before you kill me, is this what happened to Danse, too?” His pulse raced as he contemplated his last moments. Regret filled him as he heeded his final words to Nora, melting into immense sorrow as he imagined Duncan scavenging through the wastes when his bottle cap stash ran dry.

“I gave Nora my word that he would be spared, and I have every intention of keeping my word so long as he steers clear of the Brotherhood.” He paused, before clearing the chamber and returning the rifle to the man on the ground. “I ask politely for cooperation, but I demand respect. If you’re going to continue being rude, Mister MacCready, then I won’t hesitate to cease this attempt at a negotiation.”

MacCready shook his head. “Negotiation?”

Exhaling, Maxson replied, “Yes. Nora would sooner kill me than sit down with me, and I can’t say I blame her. She must think I’m..”

“‘A little pervert’.. were her exact words in case you were wondering.” RJ sighed, rolling his eyes and pulling himself to his feet.

“Which I was not, but thank you for indulging me. If you’ll allow me to finish, I was going to say that she is preparing to squander a bearable punishment that would facilitate us to allow her to have the Brotherhood of Steel at the Minutemen’s service. I’m trying to achieve what is best for the Commonwealth, and during the time being, our priority action should be eliminating the Institute, not one another. Are we on the same page so far?”

Crossing his arms, RJ replied, “It’s gonna take a lot of pages to explain being a stalker, or drugging my General, but I suppose I can imagine the thought process of someone with unlimited power being too scared to talk to a pretty girl.”

Arthur scratched his nose. “I suppose I deserve that. It was never my intention to keep her chemically restrained on top of her physical ones, but the first time she tried jumping from the Prydwen.. the only person who fell was me. When I caught hold of her as she leapt from the edge, letting go suddenly became the furthest thing from my mind..”

“She doesn’t want to be with the Brotherhood, Maxson. Or you.” MacCready narrowed his eyes.

“Are you sure about that?” Maxson replied with a quizzical look.

He was so quick to ask for validation, it caught RJ off guard. Was it his intention to warp his perspective on Nora’s side of the story, or was it a lapse in security? Whatever his intentions were, it made MacCready uneasy to hear the Elder challenge him with such certainty.

 

Maxson searched for the slightest falter in his opposition’s confidence, but the older man refused to question his convictions. As he remained tenaciously silent, the commander continued, “If Nora comes back and serves _ten_ days of imprisonment, followed by one hundred days of reporting in, she is free to relinquish her duty to the Brotherhood. You’re even welcome to come and see her as often as you like, to ensure no funny business occurs. In return, I only ask that she finishes what she started, with the Institute, and with me.”

“I suspect any business with you will be concluded swiftly. She’s moved on. Even gave me her husband’s wedding ring.”

Maxson’s eyes dragged down the sniper’s arm, meeting with the jewelry on his ring finger. “Is that so? Well maybe Danse isn’t as much of a threat as I had previously anticipated.”

“Beg your pardon?” MacCready chuckled, as he waited for clarification.

“It was my primary intention to come here and ask for you to relay my offer to Nora, however that doesn’t mean this that this little engagement of ours cannot serve multiple purposes. I have one other proposal that is not for Nora, but is instead for you. Would you care to hear it?”

Taken back by his roguishness, RJ raised a finger. “Never mind what I care for, you’ve got balls to try and barter when you’ve got no leg to stand on.”

“Are you going to answer my question, Robert?” The Elder prodded.

After a moment, he answered, “Fine. Let’s hear your offer.”

Arthur acted apathetic as he began his pitch. “I’ll lead with a question, cut to the chase if you will. Do you feel secure in your position, specifically referring to when M7-97 returns to the Commonwealth? A simple yes or no will do.”

Flaring his nostrils, MacCready hesitated before answering, “No. I don’t.”

A hint of a smile appeared in the corners of Arthur’s mouth, before it was quickly concealed. “Might I ask why?”

“Because the second shit hit the fan with them and the Brotherhood, Nora and Danse both completely ditched me. He was gone for over a week before she bothered to come back and find me. She didn’t even say sorry before asking me to risk my life again.” The brunette huffed

 

Maxson looked past him into the open doorway providing light to the room, before turning his back and walking into the kitchen. MacCready looked around suspiciously before following in tow, using the banister on the staircase to swing around the corner. He didn’t want to let the Elder out of his sight, not for a second.

Arthur pulled out a chair at the kitchen table, before taking a seat and pouring a drink for himself. “When things went sideways after our discovery regarding Paladin Danse’s identity, Nora only reported back because I had given her direct orders to.. and you can imagine my surprise when she came back _reeking_ of him. I couldn’t see straight. Did you know he slept with her, a scribe, and then Nora again in the same day?”

RJ shook his head as he watched the Brotherhood soldier throw back his cup. “No.. no I didn’t know that.”

Pouring another shot, Maxson asked, “Don’t you think she deserves better than that?”

“Of course I do. But I also think that she deserves to make her own decision.” MacCready reprimanded as he tightened his grip on the chair he was pulling out. “So you can imagine I’m not too sympathetic of your methods of persuasion.”

A scowl of offense sat on Arthur’s face as he watched him take a seat. “Predictably so. She gave you the slip for ten days. Her radio silence to the Brotherhood lasted over a month. I had placed an unruly amount of trust and responsibility in her, only for her to cut and run entirely at the first snag.” Already having poured himself a third glass, the Elder raised the bottle of bourbon. “Would you like a drink, Mister MacCready?”

RJ opened his duster, before pulling out a flask. “I’m covered, thanks for the offer. You know what they say, can’t ever be too careful.”

 

A small, gravelly laugh burst from the man sitting down at the other end of the dining set. “It may sound preposterous, but the motive for administering mood-altering agents to Nora couldn’t have been further from perversion. Is it so outlandish that I wanted to be in the same room with her without being bombarded with insults?” He paused. “I’m not suggesting that excuses my actions upon her return, but I would like a chance to try and explain myself to Nora, and answer any questions she may have.”

“And why would I do any of that? Why give the competition a leg up?” RJ crossed his fingers as he questioned. 

The armored jacket slid from Maxson’s shoulders as he draped it over the chair behind him. “Because you and I both know that she won’t choose either of us independently over Danse. What do you think pairing up would do to our chances?”

MacCready’s eyes went wide. “You wanna run that by me one more time?”

A devilish grin appeared on Arthur’s face. “You heard me. On our own, neither of us hold a candle to Danse in Nora’s eyes. I can only imagine what joining forces would do those odds.”

RJ shifted the rifle on his shoulder strap as he motioned his disapproval. “I think you’ve got the wrong idea here.”

“Have I? She gave you her husband’s wedding ring, yet I’m starting to get the impression that your relationship is more.. PG than you’re letting on. Please don’t pretend to misinterpret my tenor to prolong us getting to the point.” The Elder tapped his fingers on the table as he continued impatiently.

Robert's heart skipped a beat at the realization that this negotiation was over before it even began. In under ten minutes, Maxson had cut right to the root of his jealousy, and read the state of affairs to a t. Such agitation wasn't relieved as he watched the Elder grow increasingly desperate. “She wasn’t lying when she told me she wanted to be with me. But she won’t speak to me, MacCready, and more than breathing I would like to return to the confines of her good graces. I need you to gain any ground at all here, and.. believe me when I say that I would be forever indebted to you. I’ll do whatever you want if you can make it happen.”

  
  
Dismay gave rise to intrigue, and it showed on the ex-merc’s face. “Whatever I want, huh? Just for letting you talk to her?”

“And if the two of you were to agree to both offers, I assure you I can continue to be a very generous man-” Arthur started to insist as he caught on to MacCready’s worldly inclinations.

RJ raised a finger to interject. “Hold on a second. I’m still negotiating here, so don’t try to distract me with promises. How much are you willing to pay for the General’s confidant to put you two in the same building, let alone the same room?”

The Elder disguised his scoff as he cleared his throat. _“Money?_ Is it odd that I didn’t expect to appeal to your heartstrings through my pocketbook?” Looking up across the table, he met an anticipative stare. “No time for games, I see. One thousand caps, up-front enough?”

“One thousand caps to hear Nora tell you to fuck off? I’d be an idiot to pass on a payday like that. Besides, you know the deal, mouths to feed.” Bobby racked off confidently.

  
  
“Someone’s sure of themselves.” Challenged Arthur.

The bottle on the table rattled as RJ slammed his hands down on it. “You wanna make a bet on it?”

“Bet, you say?” Maxson paused as he pondered an agreement. “Very well. If Nora turns me away, I’ll give you double my offer. But if I can convince her to take part in my little triumvirate, you have to give me half of your earnings back.”

“T-two thousand caps?” MacCready stammered. It was a lot of money. It was too much money.

“Do we have a deal, Colonel?” The commander pressed.

He couldn’t let himself be browbeat by the Brotherhood. “Hold on a second. You don't get to just come, see, and conquer the Minutemen. We’re going to level this playing field, see how smooth of an operator you really are. I’ll let you talk to her, but she’s gonna be blindfolded. And it can’t be removed until you seal the deal, or the bet is off.”

Twirling his thumbs, Arthur craned his head until the joint popped quietly. “You’re smarter than you look, Robert.”

“We do this on my terms, or not at all. And one more thing: I get the first time with her to myself.” RJ pronounced.

  
  
Maxson indulged his third spirit before sighing. “I suppose your demands are within reason, and I have no intention, nor privilege, to deprive you of them. Would a week from today give you ample time to.. complete your objective?”

“I want two weeks. I don’t need them, I just don’t like being rushed. And I like being bossy.” Bobby winked at the Elder before raising his flask.  
  
“I assure you, Mister MacCready, the sooner Paladin Klain returns to the airport, the better the consensus will be. Don’t test the authority of the Brotherhood out of sheer callowness.” He held up a fist in desperation.

The lid of the flask made a soft whirring noise as RJ swiftly replaced it. “How about I let you know in a week? You seem to be forgetting that the only bargaining chips you have here are _caps.”_

“Point taken. I’ll meet you here at the same time next week. If that’s okay with you, of course.” Arthur apple-polished.

The triumphant feeling of having successfully negotiated with Elder Maxson made MacCready sit a bit taller in his seat, before taking a stand and backing out of the townhouse with a smart alecky grin. “That’s more like it. Next Wednesday at dawn, bring your A game.”


	5. Curiosity Killed the Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MacCready returns to the Castle, followed by an.. exhausting evening.

At the end of Nora’s watch shift, MacCready hobbled back to The Castle with the world weighing on his mind.

  
He gave an impersonal nod to Ronnie as he passed through the gates, trying to make a quick getaway to the east tower. The pace picked up as he hopped off the stairs into the courtyard and scurried towards the hall.

“Someone’s in a hurry.” Nora called down to him, stopping RJ in his tracks as he passed the radio booth that sat in the middle of the courtyard. “How was Goodneighbor?”

After taking a deep breath, MacCready turned and looked up to her post. “Oh it was fine.. some asshole tried to pull a knife on Fred down at the Rexford. They probably still haven’t finished cleaning the mess out of the lobby.”

A big smile warmed up her cheeks as she chuckled. “That man is going to have to learn to hold his tongue before someone hands it to him.”

“Tell Fred that.” RJ rolled his eyes, fidgeting with his shoulder strap. “He’s gotten lucky enough that he doesn’t usually get return-visits from his Jet customers. But uh.. I don’t want to keep distracting you. See you in five, alright doll?”

She nodded her head and off he went, breaking for the General’s quarters. Narrowing her eyes she muttered, “Lousy liar.”

  
Once in the safety of his own room, panic struck again as MacCready paced back and forth. “Man oh man, I fucked up. Oh God why did I do that?!”

He rubbed his eyes while burying his face in his hands, sliding down to the floor. Tears threatened to fall as he rested his head on one shoulder, and a sigh whooshed out of him while he resented himself for giving Elder Maxson the opportunity to take everything.

RJ pushed his heels into the stone floor, sliding his back up the door as he lazily stood up. Dragging his feet to the vanity, he looked into the mirror. “Stupid, stupid, stupid!” He exclaimed, gritting his teeth while he pulled his hair.

The door clicked behind him, and he spun to face the General. “What’s stupid?”

He emitted a short grunt, running his fingers through his hair to try and play off his dramatic display of emotion. “Uh.. my hair! I just cut it last month and I already have to keep pushing it out of my eyes.”

With a charmed look, she lifted his hat and brushed away the stray hairs dangling in his face, tucking them under the cap as she planted it back on his head. “Better?” She asked, followed by kissing her disgruntled Minuteman on the nose.  
 

“Better..” MacCready smiled, feeling his bad mood dissipate in her company. Changing the subject, he asked, “So what are your plans for today?”

Excited, she rubbed her hands together, before tying her fingers under her chin sweetly. “Well, Preston told me about another vault that we haven’t checked out. Would you mind going on an adventure before bedtime?” He groaned, and she batted her eyelashes. “Pretty please?”

RJ dug in his pocket before using his teeth to pull a cigarette out of its package. “I don’t know what’s so interesting about a vault, but I’ll be happy to follow you around for a few hours.”

“What’s interesting is that there’s a colony of human settlers still living in it.” Nora glanced at him to watch for his reaction.

Returning the box to his pocket, he replied, “That is unusual.. too bad humans are still assholes.”

“That they are.” She laughed as she tossed him a zippo. “Let’s hope these ones aren’t.”  
  


They packed up on ammo and stimpaks, as well as a lunch for the road. Nora threw the duffel bag over her shoulder, and MacCready gave her a look. “What’s with the big ‘ole bag? We’re only gonna be gone for a couple of hours, tops.”

“I’d use a smaller bag if I had one. My backpack is.. a bit beyond reach.” She reminded him.

As RJ swallowed he replied, “Oh.. right. I should be able to fit most of that in my messenger bag.”

“If you insist.” Nora scoffed as she lifted the flap on his carrier, before dumping most of the contents of her bag into it. Curious, she measured her pockets with her fist, and stuffed a can of beans in one pocket, as well as a tin of potato crisps in the other. “Problem solved.”

The woman looked positively goofy with her pockets all pillowed out, and the amusement showed on MacCready’s face. “Should we make for an early dinner?”  
  


In a few short hours, they returned from their ordinary exploring with a small haul from the vault. Nora’s boot made a loud sucking ‘thunk’ as she yanked it from her foot, and she exclaimed, “Trench-foot is in my doorway. I need new boots sooner or later.”

The lock sounded as it slid shut, and MacCready tossed his messenger bag on the couch. “New boots won’t keep it out. Staying out of the mud will.”

He turned around and stared as she slipped out of the blocky blue overcoat, adorning it over the armchair across the table from where he was standing. “And tell that kid tough luck about her cat? You know me better than that, RJ. ”

She reached across the narrow board and flipped the bill of his hat while he swatted at her. “That cat’s only gonna run away again, it barely avoided being bug chow this time around.”

  
Nora ignored him as she made her way to the bed, fiddling with her high-waisted pantaloons before kicking out of them and promptly leaping onto the mattress.

Out of habit, MacCready turned to face the tunnels while she slipped under the blanket, covering his eyes for good measure.

From behind him she called out, “Oh come on, now you’re just being prudish. It’s nothing you haven’t seen before, right?”

Still facing the wall he replied, “It’s just probably for the best that I don’t see it.”

  
A pout came to her face as she pulled the blanket up to her nose. “Whatever you say.. I’m ready for bed whenever you want to stop being weird, Robert.”

After a second he turned around, and Nora fidgeted in place as he met her stare. “ _Robert?_ Am I in trouble?” He asked.

“Oh-ho the biggest. Now get over here, mister.” The blonde insisted, pointing to the bed with a giggle.  
 

The Colonel obeyed her demands hesitantly, hanging his hat before traversing the room. On the bedside, he kept his eyes on the woman as he removed his bandoliers, followed by his coat and military jacket. Down to his pants, he carefully lifted the corner of the blanket.

Indistinguishable gibberish gushed out of RJ as he dropped it and withdrew his hand skittishly. “Holyfucking.. Nora! Where are your clothes?!”

Twirling a finger on her leg she casually answered, “I can get dressed if you’d prefer.”

He lifted the blanket one more time, eyeing her up and down, then looking at his groin. “Not much of a point now.. the damage is done.”

She chuckled again. “Damage?”

Breathing slowly, MacCready tried to contain any of the powerful desires looking to overwhelm him. “No--I mean yes--damage. I wanted our first time to be special, and not when I’m running on fumes..”

“I wanted to be pounded into oblivion by a dangerous killer..” She instigated, pulling on her bottom lip with a finger. “..but I can do all the work if you’re tired.”

  
RJ spun away from her. “Fuck!” He laughed, nervously rubbing his eyes before looking at his watch. “Look, I don’t want to just fuck you, Nora.”

Pausing, he realized that he should probably follow up on that before freaking out. “I guess what I’m trying to say is.. I sort of wanted to prepare? If you hop on right now and go to town, I’m going to finish in five minutes and fall asleep, and I know I am, because I’m _exhausted_.” He sighed. “It just isn’t in me to give you the.. unspeakable ritual that you deserve, and despite the fact that I really, really want to make you walk funny for a week, I think it can wait so that we both don’t have to sacrifice satisfaction for the sake of impatience.”

The pout returned to her face while she rolled her eyes. “I guess that’s as good a reason as any. Well if you don’t want to jump me.. I suppose you can still enjoy the show.”

She rolled over in bed, but her eyes stayed on MacCready as he carefully removed his pants and adjusted himself in his briefs, before crawling in beside her. They curled up close together, and a smile came to Nora’s face as he hugged her tightly, pushing his imposing package against her derrière. She took hold of his hands, bringing one over her chest, and burying the other firmly between her thighs.

Two fingers slowly hiked down the anterior of her body, slithering into the wet junction between her thighs. They slipped back and forth against one another as he played in her fluids, and she tried to pull away from his hand as he began to work the pads of his fingertips in a circular pattern over her clit.

Breathing heavily, he growled into her ear, “Not so fast, sweet pea. I believe I was generous enough with two warnings, don’t you think?”

The look on her face was priceless, and he basked in the hair-raising confusion as she gulped back her own excitement. “Mmm.. I believe my last warning promised my safety if I stayed off of you?” She started to rock back and forth, taking turns riding his hand and bumping up against his worsening erection.

  
The man behind her clicked his tongue in disagreement, and she squirmed at his breath in her ear. “Safety? I never promised safety. How’s that hired hand feel?”

Nora gripped the edge of her pillow as she blurted out, “Please keep going.. fuck your fingers feel so good.”

He watched her knuckles turn white as she squeezed her fist tighter. “Was that a ‘please’? I gotta say I kinda like having you so docile.”

A whorish groan poured out of her as he plunged his fingers into her soaked pussy, followed by withdrawing them and sliding a digit up the center of her crease. His palm cupped her mound, curling his other fingers around her lips while he worked his knuckles up and down.

The headboard wobbled in place as Nora gripped it, before her hand jerked back downwards to try and yank RJ’s wrist away. “No, no, no, no, no, no, not yet.”

He used his free hand to secure both of her wrists, and withdrew the other from her. MacCready audibly sucked his two middle fingers inside his mouth before returning them to their proper spot between Nora’s legs. “You taste fucking heavenly.”  
  
  
The lewdness of his actions gave rise to her boiling over with aphrodisia, and RJ’s nostrils flared at the dazed look in her eyes. “Good girl, now cum for daddy.”

He switched up his technique, alternating from vertical to circular motion, and she immediately piped up with mumbles and quiet babble. While he squeezed her wrists tighter, she squeaked in pain, and he watched her eyes go wide as her tiny squeak evolved into a throaty wail. Her legs pulled into a fetal position, locking his hand in place, and he could feel her pulse intensifying as a result of his strenuous slathering. He watched hungrily, curling his lip in anticipation as she scrunched up her face. “Ah, ah, aaah, Aughh!”

Craning his neck, he listened closely as he skillfully squeezed every saccharine moan he could out of her. She continued to shake in his arms as he whispered in her ear, “You didn't tell me you were this wet already.. that changes things.”

As a weary breath gusted out of her, she asked, “Does that mean.. you’ve had a change of heart?”

With a large grin, MacCready removed his hand. “Maybe not about a quickie, but I'm always up for a thigh-fuck.”

He gave his hard piece a squeeze, and slipped it between her legs, using the gap between her thighs to guide him. His smile grew wider as he slid the head back and forth between her folds, feeling her grow wetter as he continued. He groped at her thighs callously, squeezing hard at her fleshy curves to tighten their grip on his cock. A tingle went down her shoulders as he rubbed his fingers up to her hip bone, and she curled her toes before grabbing the back of her knees and bending downward.

  
RJ's mouth fell open as he slid inside effortlessly, and his entire body grew warm from the overwhelming sensation of suddenly being eight inches deep. Before moving, he turned and watched as she buried her head in the pillow, red in the face rom his rapid entry. “Ungh!” She finally uttered.

“Was it worth it?” The minuteman teased, and after a moment she beamed and nodded her head.   
  
The euphoric look lingered on her face as she turned back. "I never said I didn't like it. You can pull out if you want, I was just.. curious."  
  
  
Impatiently wedging a knee beneath Nora, MacCready let out a labored grunt before hauling her onto his lap. His legs trembled while she attempted to balance on top of him, and soon after they began to shake again while she teased his cock, pulling up as he tried to thrust further inside.

Frustrated, he placed a palm between her hips, forcing himself deeper inside with his hand. It was difficult to think straight as he delved directly for her erogenous zone, simultaneously rubbing her clit. Her foot slipped from his lap, and a gut-churning cry pushed its way out the moment her ass made contact with MacCready’s hips. “Ho! ..Fuuu.. You know what they say about curiosity..”

She looked back at his pleased face, bright red on the brink of his crowning point.

"Save one, kill one?" She squeaked out. “I was starting to think you never blushed.” 

With a quiet grin, he gave an extra inch or two of slack, continuing his massage as she regained her footing. Nora began to stir her hips, pushing down while RJ bounced her on his lap relentlessly. “How about now, kitten?”

The words made her legs jerk together as a stab of pleasure burned in her gut. Just as quickly, Bobby pried her knees apart, dangling a leg over each of his own. He wrapped his fingers around her hips, pushing them up and down slowly in a circular motion.

Before she could utter a proper response, an unexpected yelp tore out of her. “Oh fuck, MacCready! Keep doing that..”

Nora’s arms threatened to buckle beneath her as RJ hid the smug look on his face. “You make it so easy to forget I'm screwing my boss.”

  
Suddenly he sped up, swallowing the saliva in his throat while she began to gabble senselessly. Gibberish mellowed into dry whines as she melted in his arms, dumbstruck with satisfaction. “That’s right.. let it allll out.”

Bliss was only overcome by the sudden alarm bells going off in MacCready’s mind. At best, he had five seconds before wrap-up. He hooked an elbow beneath both of her knees, sandwiching them together as he cradled her closer to him. A groan forced its way out of him as his throbbing cock slipped out of her slit and between her thighs, rubbing vigorously as he neared his climax.

RJ could feel his heart convulsing as he struggled to catch his breath. “Oh.. oh god.. I held out as long as I could..”

“Don’t.. hold out on me..” Nora answered weakly, feeling herself squeeze her thighs around him.

“Ahhh!” He panted, and drove his hips into hers as he spurted the contents of his balls down her hypogastrium. “Damn you have the best fucking thighs. And by that I mean.. actually I think you already know.” He laughed, smacking her ass and gripping it between his fingers.

  
The woman leaned backwards into him, and his hands wandered freely over her form. “Feel free to use them as earmuffs.”

Lifting the top sheet he chuckled, “Tempting offer. Don’t mind if I do.”

Nora slid down next to him on the mattress, and he dove beneath the comforter. Slowly he nibbled between her thighs, and she fought to stay awake as his motions became snaillike. After a minute, she lifted the blanket and laughed, smitten at MacCready fast asleep between her legs. She scooted downwards until his head was on her belly, tangling her fingers in his shaggy brown hair as she drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I've been working on a lenghtier post, but ultimately decided to cut it short for timeliness. The rest will be coming very soon.


	6. Tripartism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the longest chapter I've written so far, thank you for waiting!  
> [I wanted to make it shorter but didn't want to leave anything out] 
> 
> Nora is tricked into meeting with Elder Maxson, followed by him and MacCready charming themselves off the hook.. or so they think.

Wednesday morning came, and RJ was at his usual graveyard shift post as he waited for the inevitable. Sure as all hell, he spotted the Brotherhood aircraft the moment it was inbound from the Prydwen, and watched it as it whipped over to the parking structure with a sour look on his face.

Within the hour, Nora came to swap him out. He grabbed her chin as he pecked her on the forehead, pulling her in for a tight hug as he rested his chin on her head. “There was a commotion coming from over by high school earlier. I’m gonna go survey the area and be right back, okay?”

She gave him a tired grin, before squinting her eyes and scratching the back of her head as she stretched. “You better be, and be careful. I don’t know the next time I plan on letting you sleep.”

Raising an eyebrow, he gave her another small intimate kiss on the lips. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

 

In a few short minutes he crawled through the doorway of the brownstone, and a familiar commanding voice called out from the top of the stairs, “I take it you didn’t need the extra week.”

“I told you I wouldn’t.” The watchman sneered as he leaned his weapon up against the wall. “And after a lot of careful consideration, I’d like to renegotiate our arrangement.”

Arthur crossed his arms, wondering what other hoops his associate planned on having him jump through. “I suppose I can at least hear you out, in lieu of your ‘my way/highway’ mantra.”

The man in the foyer spun around, meeting Maxson’s annoyed glare. “Bet’s off. I don’t want your money. I’ll take you to Nora for free.”

Bewildered, the Elder shook his head. “I.. beg your pardon?”

 

Narrowing his eyes, RJ answered, “I’ve spent this whole week feeling downright awful about accepting caps for something that could ruin my relationship with Nora. But she deserves answers, and then some..” He scratched his neck uncomfortably as he continued. “So you can keep your stupid caps.”

Arthur descended the stairs slowly. “And.. of the other matter?”

 

Kicking at the dust on the floor, he answered, “I don’t even know if I care to keep a trump card on Danse. I don’t want to compete with him, well.. because I can’t. Your logic is flawed, because it requires Nora to lump us together, and I don’t think she will. It’s not going to be you and me against Danse; It’s going to be you, _against_ me, against Danse. And I can’t say I like those odds. However..” He trailed off.

 _“However?”_   The Elder picked up eagerly.

MacCready gave him a confident grin. “I like my odds against you. And so long as you stay in line, I don’t see an issue with letting you shoot your shot.” He paused. “Speaking of staying in line, how many ladies do you have in that army of yours, anyway?”

Feeling his heart cease in his chest, Maxson tried to hide his giddiness. “In my personal division, there are over one hundred women, though I would use the term ‘lady’.. sparingly. Even those we have been graced with, aren’t anything like _her_ \--but never mind about them. Thank you so much for this opportunity.”

The ex-merc pulled a flask from his coat preemptively, flicking off the cap. “Somehow that doesn’t surprise me, but don’t thank me yet. I can picture about a dozen ways that this can go south, at least half of which end with me in the doghouse indefinitely.”

Arthur waited patiently, watching as RJ took a long swig. He pulled the flask away from his lips, and jolted his shoulders as he felt the alcohol hit his empty stomach.

 

“I understand the risk you’re taking here, which is why I’m a bit baffled at your refusal of recompense..” He was practically itching with ardor, and had to lock his hands together to stop from fidgeting. “If you’ll forgive my eagerness sir, do you already have course of action for getting into the Castle?”

Replacing the cap, MacCready answered, “No you don’t, no I haven’t, and don’t call me sir. I spent three days looking for a good angle, and couldn’t find so much as a gap between shifts. Even on my watch, there’s an additional Minuteman guarding the gate, so that’s a no-go.”

 

“Hm. Nora brought one of my proctors a series of blueprints along with some technical documents, one of which was the underground tunnel system in Fort Independence. Maybe we could gain access that way?” The Elder suggested.

MacCready wondered if Nora was even aware of what she’d handed over during her service to the Brotherhood, and he shook his head. “Yeah. There’s tunnels. But even the emergency shaft leads out to that diner. Which is in clear view of the Castle and everyone in it.”

The disappointment showed on Maxson’s face, and he furrowed his brow as he rested his chin on a gloved fist. “There must be a way, we just aren’t taking everything into account.”

 

“You know.. for a genius, you’re neglecting a pretty big factor.” MacCready answered with a smug laugh.

It was an understatement to say that the man’s effrontery was going to be a difficult adjustment, such insolence was few and far between within the ranks of the Brotherhood of Steel, and with good reason. He tried to hide his offended look as he cocked his head to the side. “Since you’re so clever, why don’t you enlighten me?”

Tapping his temple, RJ continued to chuckle. “Even if I _could_ get you into the Castle, that woman is going to go berserk the moment you two make contact, which poses a problem. I was brainstorming ways to keep this as low-profile as possible.. and then I had an idea. Who said Nora had to be at the Castle when you talk to her?”

 

The Elder’s stoicism broke in the form of an utterly dumbfounded expression. It was a meager component to overlook, but nevertheless it didn’t stop him from being impressed at the ingenuity. “Your resourcefulness never ceases to surprise, Mister MacCready. Where would you have us meet?”

He kept his eyes on the man as he rummaged through his cargo pants, handing over a hastily handwritten map. “Meet me at The Harbormaster Hotel. You’re going to have to do some waiting if you don’t want to tip her off ahead of time. I’ll be there at two thousand hours. I suggest you touch down at around sunset, given you want things to go smoothly.” Bobby took a step into the man’s personal space, pointing at a star on the map before turning his back. “I want you to wait there for my signal. You screw up the plan and she catches on too quickly, don’t expect me to recover your fumble. This is your _one_ chance. Make it count.”

Maxson eyed over the map, before nearly crumpling it in a start. “Sunset.. today?!”

 

On the way out the door, RJ picked up his rifle and shot him a finger gun. “Never believed in wasting time. Then again, if you need more than ten days to figure out an apology.. you’re probably beyond my help.”

“Wait!” The Elder called out demandingly, turning MaCready on his heels. Lowering his outstretched arm he continued, “Even if Nora says no, kills me on sight, or come what may, words cannot describe how indebted I am to you. You didn’t have to do any of this, and yet you’ve gone.. above and beyond for my sake. There must be something I can do for you as means of compensation.”

RJ waved his hand dismissively. “I’m tired of taking. That, and I might feel bad watching you pay top-dollar to get your ass kicked. Godspeed, tyro.” He gave a two-finger salute, before heading home in high spirits.

 

Later that night, Nora ducked under the swinging ‘pub’ sign while she followed MacCready down the dockside. At best he seemed distracted, but all questions were skillfully redirected as the two stumbled through the marina wastes. “There better be a good reason we’re halfway down the harbor when you have a watch shift in two hours.”

A smile came to his face as he turned to look at her. “My watch shift is covered. Yours too.”

Stopping in her tracks, she shook her head as she flustered. “Covered? Why would you ask someone to do that?”

 

MacCready held out an arm as they rounded the corner, and pointed to a raider occupying a diner in the clearing. “You get that one, I got the two in the courtyard.” He whispered.

Nora did as she was told, readying her laser musket as she wound it up. They fired on the raiders in unison, and the final scavver ran out into the courtyard as they raced to reload. With a loud crack, she watched as his head simply fell into two pieces, torn apart by RJ’s kill shot.

“I did it because we’ve got _twelve_ settlers. They don’t all have to be farmers, yanno. If we utilize every man wisely, we don’t have to run ourselves into the ground to keep our settlement guarded.” He continued. “And I can think of a couple people off the top of my head that have definitely earned a night off.”

 

His attention was displaced as she curled a small hand around his elbow. “I never said we didn’t deserve a break. But there’s also nothing wrong with giving me a heads-up before taking me out for a night on the town. What if I had plans for when we got back?”

He lead her into the gates surrounding the hotel and looked over his shoulder. “Just tell them you got kidnapped again.”

 

Rolling her eyes, she released him and followed into the building, bracing herself as they glided up the elevator. They cleared the top floor uneventfully before pushing through the patio door. Against her expectations, there were no raiders to be seen. “Guess we already handled the reinforcements.”

“We can speculate over free drinks.” MacCready gibed, already beelining for a strategic seat at the lounge.

Nora curiously held up a palm as he sat down at the serene rooftop bar. “Man, you _must_ be desperate for a break. Point taken, I’ll stop overworking you.”

He poured himself a shot, and gulped it down before answering. “Don't sweat it. Back when I was still a gunner, I knew a guy who had a pretty sweet setup up here. What with all the raiders, I’m guessing that the arrangement didn’t end too well.” He sighed. “Good thing he was a sadistic lowlife, otherwise I might feel bad for the bastard.”

 

She hesitantly joined him, before pulling a beer from behind the bar and giving him the cap. “To happy endings.”

The wastelander stared at her pearly white teeth, before curling his lips over his own in a modest smile. “To happy endings.”

 

They finished their round, and MacCready slid over the bar, hopping onto the other side. “But enough about me. What’re you having, knockout?”

Nora giggled at him. “I should probably take it easy if we’re going to make it back to the Castle in one piece.”

 

A drink slammed in front of her on the counter, and her eyes followed his arm up to the sly grin on his face. “Last I checked, this place is still a hotel.”

She gave him a questioning look as the bright green shot illuminated her face. “I’m not sure which is crazier, the fact that you’re obviously trying to poison me, or that you just suggested a sleepover at a raider base.”

The drink was snatched from her hands. “This, my femme fatale, is a Dirty Warhead. The only thing in it that’s poisonous per say is the radscorpion venom.. but if you’re a _chicken_ , I suppose I can take the big bad drink for you.”

He imitated clucking as her face grew red. “If I’m a chicken, you’re a cave chicken.” She retorted. “However, I do suppose there’s worse things I’ve put in my body.”

A smile crept onto his face as he tapped his fingers on the bar. “Why’d you think I suggested spending the night?”

 

Nora turned on the barstool as she scoffed, eyeing over what was probably once a lavish rooftop pool deck. Sweat beaded MacCready’s brow as her head swiveled upwards. “Hey look! Those raiders had a vertiberd. We must’ve taken care of the leader if that’s still here.”

He feigned a chuckle, nervously trying to bluff his way off the subject. “It’s probably leftover scrap from the gunners, I don’t expect raiders to be smart enough to repair a downed ‘berd.”

“You’re insane." She argued. "If it belonged to gunners it would have stupid paint all over it. We should see if it still flies-”

 

MacCready startled the woman nearly out of her seat with his sudden movement, skillfully turning and hurling a dart across the terrace in a swift motion. It landed on an adjacent dartboard, and he turned back to face his jumpy partner. “Why, so we can crash it? You can’t fly, I sure as hell can’t. It’s no use to us, so who cares? Let’s talk about something we can do.” He stopped to scratch his goatee. “You any good at darts?”

“Jiminy Christmas Mac, don’t do that! You almost gave me a heart attack.” She leaned over the bar to investigate the box he had pulled from. “Throwing never came naturally to me. So no.”

With a relieved smile he answered, “Even better. I think you’ll like my version of it. It call it ‘Truth or Dart’. If you land on white, you answer a truth, if you land on black, you do a dare. Think you’re up for the challenge?”

“What about green and red?” She laughed.

He walked over to the board and pointed at it. “Red counts as black, green counts as white. Except for the bullseye--it’s still a dare, but it’s a _special_ dare.”

 

Still doubtful, Nora shook her head, biting her lip all the while. “And what happens if I hit neither?”

Grabbing her shoulders, he gave her a brief massage before placing a dart in her right hand. “Then you go again, until you hit one. Don’t worry, I won’t judge.. much.”

 

She reared back, and tried to imitate his motion as she flipped the dart towards the wall, but it fell short in distance. The next attempt yielded significantly more effort, and she actually managed to make contact with a red zone on the outer rim.

“Da-hare.” He laughed, circling back behind the counter. “Well wouldn’t you know it, I’ve already got one lined up.”

The warhead was returned to her, and she grimaced as she took it. “Do I get any chickens?”

“Just this one.” He winked, pointing his thumbs at himself. Nora closed her eyes as she smirked, and tossed back the drink.

 

MacCready took another dart from the case, and waited for her to look back up before launching it at the board with conviction. To Nora’s dismay, it landed on the green rim just outside of the bullseye.

“I’ll take that, show-off.” She said, mildly annoyed as she grabbed the dart case from him. “Let’s see now.. Alright, I’ve got one. Do you really charge people extra to talk dirty to them on the road?”

Charmed as ever, she could already feel the venom coursing through her, her eyes glued to her partner while he hovered behind her. “I’ve had the occasional weirdo, and I’m not too proud to lower myself in the name of profit." He brushed a wisp of hair behind her ear as he whispered into it. "But for you, I would’ve done it for free. I blame tall, dark, and scary for cramping my style.”

“Is that so?” Scoffed the woman. “You let my commanding officer scare you off?”

“All seven feet of him? You’re damn right I did. I’m still waiting on the legendary ass-kicking when he gets back, too. Can’t say it wasn’t worth it, though.” He downed another shot at the confession.

 

Another dart whipped across the rooftop bar, and landed on a white zone. A sigh of relief whooshed out of her, and RJ swiftly interrupted it. “Don’t think you’re in the clear just because you got a truth. Take it from me, sometimes the truth hurts.”

She looked up at him, but his gaze was locked on the dartboard. “..Did you love him?”

Nora stood, insecure in his seemingly accusatory tone. “Danse?” She asked, in a low voice. “Does it matter? He’s gone, and has been for months.”

 

Mustering a small smile, he looked back down at her. “That’s a yes.. I know you too well to let you evade questions with more questions. And I also know that things like love don’t go away with time, or distance.”

“Hm.” She sighed. “I hate it when you’re right. And.. I did. But listen to me, Bobby: Danse _was_ going to choose the Brotherhood over me, and I don’t know if I’ll ever get over it. Or being left here alone. The man never even told me his first name directly, so I can’t find a reason to continue wasting my time.”

Tears glossed over her eyes as MacCready closed in on her, wrapping his fingers around her scrawny biceps. “You weren’t left alone kid, I’m always here for you.”

Her lip began to tremble at the troubling matter. “Yeah, right. I wasn’t left alone. He left me as a decoy to the Brotherhood while he slipped out like a rat in the night. You, on the other hand, have to go back to the Capital Wasteland sooner or later. Then I’ll be alone again, for god knows how long. That’s why I was so dead set on going with you.”

Nora hiccuped as she took a deep breath, and he quickly rushed in to embrace her. “Wait! I’m not crying, I’m just *hick* damn near hammered already. What all goes into a.. dirty whatever anyway?”

 

Squeezing her tighter, he laughed through squinted eyes. “A bit of this, a bit of that. Nuka-Cola Quantum, vodka, whiskey, gin, and radscorpion venom. Just give it another minute. Three more of those and you won’t remember tomorrow, let alone tonight.”

She shuddered in his grasp as she imagined extracting scorpion venom for the purpose of getting belligerently drunk. “Gross. Remind me not to take any more drink suggestions from you.”

“Still better than cave fungus.” He jabbed, taking his turn on the dartboard.

 

As he landed on another white, Nora whined, “You son-of-a.. okay. While we’re on the subject of caves, have you ever regretted sleeping with someone?”

The man in front of her cringed, nodding his head as the look stayed on his face. “You bet.”

Curiosity got the best of her, and she laughed tauntingly. “Oh no *hick*, I need more than that, and you know it.”

Turning his head, he answered, “Trust me, I think you’d rather be in the dark on this one.”

“Give me your secrets, chicken boy. That’s what this game is for.” She slurred, followed by another small hiccup.

 

He sighed before answering. “Alright, alright.. but just remember, you asked for it. About a year after Lucy died, I.. paid for a hooker. She was cute, but hard to look at regardless. I took her back to my hotel room and had to fuck her in the dark so I couldn’t see all the bruises on her neck. It was so awkward afterwards, I basically tipped her to leave. God I feel like such an ass even talking about it.”

Nora rubbed her hands eagerly, before taking the darts back again. “Is it weird I was expecting worse? This game is surprisingly less vanilla when the decision is made for you.. made _for_   you.” She repeated to herself. Out of curiosity, she tapped the V.A.T.S. activator on her Pip-Boy, switching hands accordingly.

 

The dart flew from her left grip, and they both stopped as it landed directly on the bullseye. “Oh no *hick* way.” She exclaimed in disbelief.

“That’s what you get for cheating.” MacCready hooted. “Now you get to finish the game blindfolded.”

Two grease-stained hands covered her eyes as he laid a kiss on her right cheek. She turned her head and kissed him again on the lips, as he withdrew a black sock from his pocket. The cloth slipped beneath her bangs, and she stayed still as he carefully tied it underneath her bun. “How am I supposed to play like this?”

“Just do your best.” He spoke into her ear as his fingers tickled up her arms. A whipping noise sounded by her ear, followed by the thud of the dartboard.

 

 _“Red._ Better make it a good one.” He breathed in her other ear, and she jerked her head laterally in surprise.

She rocked side to side as she pondered her dare, before a mile-long grin came to her face. Nora hiccuped through her teeth as she challenged, “I dare you to take something off every time someone throws a dart. Including that one.”

A low laugh rumbled out of him as Nora felt his arm wrap around her waist. “And here I was starting to think you were a _square_.”

Her cheeks hurt from how hard she was smiling as he placed his hat gently on top of her head. “The stakes are high.”

“That they are.” He answered softly, as he looked up to the man perched atop the belvedere. Backing out was out of the question at this point, and they were both in hot water if Nora opted not to accept Maxson’s apology.

 

Back on the ground, Nora prepared to take another turn, in stitches over Bobby’s ridiculous game. She blindly casted one, and listened as the tail smacked against the concrete wall.

“Another truth it is!” RJ declared in a commentator voice.

“Get the fuck out-“ She snorted, swatting his hand off of her. “-you and I both know *hick* I didn’t hit anywhere near that board.”

 

His thumbs brushed up against her shoulders, and he released her before his bandoliers clinked loudly on the tile below them. “Fun never comes without a little imagination. That and I can’t let you strip me nude in one turn.”

“Why not? It’s not everyday that I get to use my weaknesses against others.” She flirted.

The conviviality died down as his fingers started to wander all over her form, starting at her waist, gliding over her hips and down the inner anterior of her thighs. “Oh just wait until _you_ get another dare.”

 

She threw an arm back over her head, wrapping it around his neck and pulling him into her, while kissing him passionately. As she pulled back she whispered, “I never was any good at waiting.”

The man clenched his jaw, before looking at Maxson, and holding up an arm to signal advance. A lump caught in Arthur’s throat as he perceived the notion, and his heart began to race. With a deep breath, he hopped to the ground, tumbling on his shoulders before rolling into a standing position.

 

“What the hell was that?” Nora started, and began to thrash in his harsh grip. “What are you doing? There’s somebody up here! Let me go!” She kicked her feet in every direction, trying to knock MacCready’s knees out from under him. “ROBERT!”

He hushed her as she slowly ran out of energy. “Shh shh shh. You’re right. Someone is up here with us. But before I tell you who it is, I need to know that I still have your imperishable trust.”

Nora tried to stay calm as he brushed his fingers through her hair and kissed the top of her head. “I don’t like this Bobby, I don’t like it one bit..” she choked up, and the sound made him wince. “But I still trust you.”

 

The two men made eye contact, and Arthur hesitated from the other side of the patio. He covered his mouth, growing uneasy from how hostile the situation had already become. He pondered the success rate of an exit strategy as RJ snapped him out of his trance. “You gonna break the ice, or do I have to do everything?”

Every instinct Nora had told her to fight, despite the voice in her ear. In one last attempt, she swung her elbows out as much as she could, writhing and screaming to break free of his clutch. MacCready’s arms gave, but not nearly enough to warrant freedom. “Stop fighting! I can keep this up all night. You!” He pointed to the Elder, frozen in shock at the fit of temper. “Front and center!”

Hurried footsteps resumed, and stopped before her. An eternity passed while her mind raced through what horrors could lie in front of them. “What do you want?” She called out as the blindfold grew damp with tears.

They waited in silence until Arthur crouched down, searching for the nerve to speak. After pausing he answered, “I came here to apologize. I hope life’s been treating you well these last few-”

 

A fierce battle cry surged from Nora as she thrashed her legs again, sending a solid kick across the left side of his face. The man fell backwards in surprise, bracing himself before spitting blood into the empty pool.

She huffed in place as RJ tried to hide his amused look. “That’s for drugging me, _asshole.”_

 

“Best to grab her legs.” MacCready commanded, and Maxson turned to look as he held his aching jaw.

It was impossible to hide his shock. “What?!”

An unsettling cackle emerged from her bedfellow. “You wanna get kicked again? Pick a better spot to stand, or grab. her. legs.”

“ARTHUR DON’T YOU DARE!” Forewarned Nora, flailing her feet as they were pinned to his sides. “So help me GOD--ROBERT JOSEPH MACCREADY YOU’RE DEAD, YOU HEAR ME? DEAD!”

 

MacCready watched the commander intently as he whispered something indistinguishable in Nora’s ear. After a moment, she relaxed her muscles submissively, and her limbs went slack in their arms.

With a heavy sigh, she directed her lour to the man between her legs. “Okay.. you have my attention Arthur. But don’t mistake my heedfulness for absolution. The only reason I’m giving you the time of day, is because one: I don’t have much say in the matter, and two: I trust my partner’s judgement. Mark my words, you’d better be damn sure whatever you’re offering is worth my time.” She spoke slowly, pronouncing each word to mask her obtuseness.

 

Mystified, Maxson looked up to the arrogant look on RJ’s face, and back at Nora. When he had finally recovered he started with, “For the acknowledgment alone, I’ll be eternally grateful. My actions were inexcusable, and you have my sincerest apologies for my depraved behavior. It’s doubtful I’ll ever find the words to justify my feelings during your arrest, but if I may try: the blow of your leaving, paired with the feverishness upon your return was maddening. Each personal interaction was so volatile, I had eventually concluded that it was probably ideal to observe you without your knowledge, to find out for myself if you were being disingenuous. But as surveillance continued, I.. became unable to separate myself from the matter at hand. And I don’t blame you for leaving. Again, I’m so terribly sorry.”

Her visage grew red around the blindfold, and her glare softened into a frown. “You should be. I trusted you when you told me that I wasn’t going to regret letting my guard down. God dammit I wanted to believe you so badly!” The confidence in her voice broke, and she cleared her throat. “But even after chemically inducing the response you wanted, you still didn’t trust me. You couldn’t even tell Rhys his accusations were made on hasty assumptions.”

 

Nodding his head, he replied, “I know. But I’m not a liar, Nora. What am I worth, if not my word? After you called me a narcissist, I would’ve done anything to change your opinion of me. Only now do I realize that I was merely proving you right.” He paused, taking a deep breath and letting it out. “A common side effect of the agent is combativeness.. _that’s_ why I assigned you an escort. I do trust you, but that wasn’t the time nor the place to inform you of that.. particular factor. I gave you the most exclusive access to the Brotherhood that anyone has ever been honored to receive, and--and you broke my heart twice by leaving it all behind.”

Outraged she shouted, “I broke _your_ heart? How did you think I felt when you lied to me? When I found out the feelings I had for you might not have been my own! I was willing to overlook everything that happened with Danse, and even then I wasn’t sure that was the right thing to do!”

“On my father’s grave, I swear I never spoke a single word of prevarication-” Arthur plead.

 

“Lying by omission is still lying!” She sounded out condescendingly. “You made a fool out of me. I don’t think I’ve _ever_  been so humiliated!”

“I know..” He repeated. “And I suffered a lot of that same degradation. The debriefing with Cole escalated so quickly, I had no idea where to begin with damage control. By the time I had collected my thoughts.. you were beyond reach. I’ll never forgive myself for putting you in danger again.”

 

The conversation was interrupted when MacCready put his two cents back in. “Stop making this about you. Groveling isn’t supposed to be selfish. You need to lose a little dignity if you’re gonna get anywhere here.”

Maxson gracefully accepted the advice as he hung his head. “You’re absolutely right. But now that everything’s out in the open, I have to apologize for more than just the chems. It was foolish to think that word wouldn’t get around of my.. my voyeurism.” He admitted. “And I beg your forgiveness for the predicaments I’ve involved you in, with your mentor, with myself, and even now with Mister MacCready.”

 

His head wheeled up as she clicked her tongue in skepticism. “All I see is that you’re on a mission to ruin every personal endeavor I’ve striven for. Let me be the one to say, it’s truly horrifying to see your control extends this far. Maybe your disgusting display of complacency is merited, after all.”

The woman pulled her face away as she felt a gloved palm try to cradle her cheek. “No, please.. I plead for his help. At this moment, you are the single most important component in our fight against the Institute. Everything I have, everything I am is yours if you lead the Brotherhood to glory. That’s worth more than my pride, as are you.”

“Give me a break, Arthur. I find it hard to believe that argument alone was enough to persuade _him_.” She pulled her shoulders forward, nodding her head towards her partner as he yanked her back forcefully. “What did you offer my second-in-command to get this far? Money? More empty promises?”

 

The sound of his breathing grew louder and more rapid, and it didn’t take an expert to tell he was panicking. Arthur stammered, “W-well I offered him caps to arrange a meeting, but he declined-”

Any remnant of a speech he tried to prepare was silenced as RJ spoke over him. “Ah ah ah, shut up brainiac.” He tisked, and a shaky sigh erupted from Maxson as the weight of the world seemed to lift off his shoulders. “He very politely asked me to give him an opportunity to explain himself, and answer any questions you still have. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes--yes thank you.” The young man swallowed. “I feel satisfied with my testimony, is there anything else you’d care to know? I’d like to employ a sense of transparency between the three of us.”

She thought to herself, before hesitantly answering, “I’d actually prefer to hold off on this interrogation, given the nature of the questions I do have.”

 

“Of course.” He assured, reluctant as he was to come back to such a contemptible subject. “I do have one question for you, however. Have you.. changed your mind, about what I asked you on the last night we spent together?”

Nora thought back on the night at the drive in fondly, despite the underlying conflict it summoned. “No, I haven’t.” She sighed. “I don’t hate you, Arthur. What you did to me was demeaning, but I still wouldn’t put it against what Danse endured.”

His gaze fell downward, and he flinched as he made the horrid mistake of picturing her provocative legs beneath the silhouette of her trousers. “A-and I deserved the consequences I received, and then some. Not that you need the reminder, but it’s still imperative for you to keep the true details of his “death” under wraps. I’d be put in front of a firing squad for my hypocrisy, but I relinquished that integrity for you, Nora. I’d do anything for you.”

 

The incantation gave her goosebumps, and she began to wriggle again in protest. “I’m finding it more and more difficult to believe the two of you have arrived at any sort of reasonable compromise with your intentions.”

“How do you gather?” Maxson inquired innocently.

She cleared her throat, and directed her chin downwards. Catching her drift, his eyes went wide as he hauled her knees over his shoulders. The Elder babbled fretfully, cursing himself as he sought to recover. “I beg your pardon. We could switch ends if you’d prefer.”

“Absolutely not.” MacCready answered for her. “She can hardly catch her breath. If we let her go before we calm her down, she’s either going to jump you or jump ship.”

 

“Robert!” Nora growled. “If you let me go I might beat you to death for conspiracy.”

He chuckled lightheartedly. “And I might let you. But our friend here.. he won’t be so easy to strike down. In fact, he’s gone through a lot of trouble just to apologize.”

“MacCready..” She resisted. “You were right from the beginning, about him, about the Brotherhood--after everything he’s done, you colluded with him, to give him what I thought you wanted. _Why?”_

 

The pain in her voice made RJ doubt himself, and he looked at Maxson as he evaluated her query. Was it really too late to back out? He could pull his revolver inconspicuously, and their troubles with the Brotherhood would be as good as over.

Arthur saw the misgiving in his eyes, and he realized he couldn’t let his only raft sink. “Hiding my partiality would have been a foolish approach. Robert knew long before we met what drove my pursuit. He’s a smart man, and if you chose him over me I would sympathize. My only regret is that I trifled the wondrous opportunity I was given.” His face grew stern, and his coat shuffled loudly as he pulled himself higher on her legs. “Ten days ago, you said you also desired a propinquity, that you would try and see where it would take us. Please tell me your heart hasn’t changed, that you’re just as curious as I am to see what we can achieve for one another.”

 

Nora’s respirations grew shallow, and she tried to maintain a phlegmatic sense about her as she felt his breath between her thighs. “It doesn’t matter what I said ten days ago. I’m with MacCready now, and I can’t go back on my word.”

The Elder paused, looking to the Minuteman for approval. He returned a vacant gaze, followed by an eventual nod. Maxson let go of the fabric he was holding, and wound his hands even further up her form. “Who ever said anything about parting with Robert?”

She gasped in stunned shock as his thumb brushed against her thigh, and her leg betrayed her as it twitched in response. His proposal was intoxicating, but she had to at least pretend to have reservations. “B-Bobby?”

 

Another untimely bout of laughter rung through the air as his face contorted into a mirthful look. “What’s wrong sugar, think you can’t handle the both of us at once?” He mocked. His arms were on fire, but the battle wasn’t over yet.

The General’s entire body went hot at the suggestion, and she shifted involuntarily. “O-oh I don’t know.. It’s not ladylike. You know I’m all talk! Besides, what would people think?”

MacCready raised an eyebrow, before winking at Maxson. “They already think you’re torn between a pervert and a sicko. Why not give them something to write home about?”

Her knees began to quiver again as a powerful flash of arousal overwhelmed her in every contact point between the three of them. “F-fuck.” Squeaked the woman. “As appealing as that sounds, I’m already the focus of a lot of envy.”

“If it sounds appealing, then screw what everyone else thinks. We’ll be having fun, and that’s all that matters.” He nuzzled her ear as he drove home the argument. _“Everybody wins.”_

 

Ceasing to squirm, she turned as best she could to face him. “You.. you’re comfortable with this?”

“Mhm.” He answered softly. “I’d say I’m even a little excited, now that you’re all hot and bothered over the prospect.” MacCready countered.

A look of blissful disbelief fell on Arthur’s face, as a silent laugh puffed out of him. “Does that mean it’s something you’d want?”

“That’s one way of putting it.. I suppose since the two of you actually managed to work out a pact, there’s no harm in trying.” Nora smiled.

“Oh thank God.” Groaned RJ, as he practically dumped her upper half in Maxson’s arms. “Hold her, I need a drink.”

 

She felt another hand on her chin, and continued to beam sweetly. “Anything for you, doll?” The soothing voice asked.

“Surprise me.” Nora teased, directing her masked gaze upwards as the fingers pulled away. “So tell me Arthur, how am I meant to participate in your attack, in terms of my mandatory suspension?”

“What suspension?” He scoffed assuredly. “I’m Elder, my word is law. Nobody's really happy about it, but those ninety days of suspension were converted into one hundred days of supervised probation. Daily. And your eighteen days of confinement have been dropped to ten. Hopefully our victory over the Institute will be enough to outweigh your infamy, however if you assault anyone else, I might be forced to tack days onto the latter as opposed to the former. Are we understood?”

With a giggle, she answered, “And I thought I was the lawyer. I’ll be on my best behavior.”

 

“Huh, that’s too bad. Bottoms up, jailbird.” MacCready cracked upon his return, and he could feel Nora’s lack of enthusiasm despite the blindfold. She made the mistake of smelling the offensive drink that was put to her lips, and she scowled before slowly tilting her head back for him.

As she swallowed, she felt an open palm whack her rear-end, leaving a harrowing sting in its wake. His bandolier clattered against the buckle as he wrapped it back around his waist, and his boss whined in pain as he took his hat back. “While I’m all about a scenic ménage à trois, anybody else want to take this down to the penthouse?”

“You’re really testing your luck here!” Nora shouted in exasperation. “Also, there’s no penthouse on this floor.”

She curled up as he grumbled a closed-lip laugh. “You just sit tight, know-it-all.”

 

Careful fingers could be felt brushing through her hair, and she yelped again as RJ yanked out a bobby pin. “I need to borrow this for a second.”

Curious, Arthur watched as he made his way to the busted elevators. “Those are clearly out of commission.”

The man turned back as he rolled his eyes, using slumped body language to dramatize the gesture. “Can’t you two just shut up and watch?”

Scoffing, Nora answered, “Would if I could!”

 

MacCready turned back to the panel on the wall. “Sounds to me like someone wants the other sock in her mouth.” He jammed the pin into the maintenance keyhole, turning it to the right three times. To Maxson’s dismay, the panel flipped one hundred and eighty degrees around, revealing a number pad.

“Now let’s see.. six, three, six, pound.” The number pad chirped three times in rapid succession, as the security doors to the right began to lift. Nora swiveled her head around when she heard the mechanical gate rumble open with a metallic clatter.

After the doors finished their ascent, MacCready held up a hand to signal a hold in position, leading his way into the building with a rifle. About three minutes passed before he returned, strutting out to the terrace looking content. “About my associate’s prosperity, one could say he fell a bit short.”

“I don’t even want to understand that pun.” Nora groaned.

Arthur chuckled in appreciation as he neared the threshold. “Only a head.”

 

The man tipped his hat to pay respect before motioning for them to enter. “At least he was nice enough to off himself in the foyer. I’d take the west entrance if I were you, though.”

Following his suggestion, Elder Maxson sauntered down the right side of the double staircase, leading into an immaculate entrance hall. He was careful to avoid the jade newel post lamps with Nora’s feet as he dismounted from the final step. The black marble floor made it difficult to tell exactly where the gore ended, and as a result he hung close to the wall. “Quite the site for a tomb.”

The smell made Nora gag, and Arthur freed a hand to let her pinch her nose. “This is recent.” She whined nasally.

 

MacCready pulled his green jacket over his nose before carefully rummaging through the dead gunner’s pockets. “Yeesh. Says you. It probably doesn’t hurt that he’s been sitting in a.. dark, cold room all winter. Aha! Found the keys.”

The two of them stayed put as he hurriedly jogged down the hallway, to a pair of beautifully crafted wrought iron doors, with bronze flowers adorning them. “No picking these locks.” His sing-song voice echoed off the walls. “Good thing I don’t need to.”

Nora listened as the metallic lock resounded all the way back in the entrance, followed by creaking doors. She shifted upwards as Maxson adjusted his grip, dandling her as he followed in tow.

 

Even Arthur couldn’t hide his fascination as he passed into the room. Damask mirrors lined the master suite from floor to ceiling, save for the wall occluded by a monstrous canopy bed, spanning at least eight feet wide.

“This is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Is the chandelier real silver?” He gushed with wide eyes.

Looking over, he caught RJ’s triumphant look in his reflection as he inspected the room for cleanliness. “Hell if I know. What I do know is, they don’t make ‘em like this in the Capital. And if they did, they’re long gone by now.”

Maxson whistled, “No kidding.” He looked down at Nora, and looked back up as he noticed their companion beginning to undress. “Wait.. aren’t you jumping the gun a bit here?”

 

Instead of answering, he closed in on the two, paying no mind to Arthur as he drew his beloved close for a kiss. His hair tickled her forehead as he quickly threw off his jacket. “My terms, remember? I know what I'm doing, let her down.”

The attendant obeyed, slowly swinging her boots to the marble floor. As she stood upright, MacCready pushed his fingers into her waistband, unbuttoning the double breasted trousers while pulling them to her knees. He could tell she was blushing from her thighs alone, and looked up to admire her matching red face.

The Elder stood, amazed as he watched the two envelop in one another, Nora willingly keeping the mask on her eyes. She swayed back in his arms as the bystander tried to make sense of the whispers he kissed into her neck. Quickly enough, he pushed her to her boiling point as she ripped off the blue coat. MacCready dropped to his knees, feverishly unbuttoning her shirt from the bottom while she worked from the top.

 

“You gonna.. let us have.. all the fun.. Artie?” MacCready worked out between kisses on her tummy.

He swallowed in response, followed by an uneasy sigh. It was unexpected that he was still so irked by the lewd man, but he was nonetheless jealous of such confidence in initiating matters. “I suppose not.”

There wasn’t much of a point in him joining them as they finished removing the last of her clothes, so he got to work unbuckling the collar of his uniform. Out of the corner of his eye, RJ watched the man cast his coat aside, baring his chest as the suit slid down his torso. Even with Nora blindfolded, he was envious of such a powerful form; however, he wasn’t counting on being outmatched by brute strength alone. MacCready had the upper hand by a long shot, and he wanted to exploit it as he took the lead. “Alright Goliath, I’ll let you take the front. Back action isn’t for beginners.”

“Don’t I get a say?” Nora pouted as she braced herself in the sake of modesty.

Whistling, RJ shook his head. “As someone who barely fits in your ass, I promise he’s not going to without some kind of.. witchcraft? Hell, I don’t even know if that would work.”

 

Arthur watched helplessly as the two bickered, before a snap brought him back to attention. “On your toes skipper, I've got better things to do than stand around!”

Quickly he followed MacCready’s gesture, while he watched him swing around to the back, undoing Nora’s hair and wrapping his arms around her waist. “Pick up her knees and we can go from there. On your count.”

The man pulled his hands away in a defensive stance. “What about foreplay?”

A patronizing chuckle emitted from the Colonel, as he grabbed Maxson’s wrist, forcing his hand between her thighs. “Oh!” He hollered, his hand nearly turning blue from the tight grip. “Oh..” The Elder repeated, feeling the fluid roll down her thighs. “She’s-”

“Still here?” Nora interrupted, offended by the third-person conversation they were holding.

Clearing his throat, Arthur continued. “Sorry, I.. wasn’t expecting you to be so far along with so little intervention.”

 

She wiggled her legs tantalizingly before releasing him, and he gazed upon her dirty grin in awe. "As far as a tag-team goes, you couldn't have picked a more commendable ally. A true proficient in trade."

In an unpremeditated advance, he raised one leg into the air, grasping the other tightly as he repeated the motion. Nora grunted softly, feeling rough hands manhandle her from seemingly every angle as she waited for the inevitable. She braced herself, surprisingly eager for anyone to start. The woman gasped as Maxson pushed the tip against the entrance, before counting. “One, two-“

“Three!” MacCready interjected, slowly sliding the slippery head of his cock inside. Following his lead, the Elder crossed his eyes as he sunk into her pussy with little effort.

 

RJ groaned, slipping two fingers into the woman’s mouth. “You know better, I can’t get it in unless you relax. Keep that jaw slack, and push against me, baby.”

Heat flooded her veins, and she sucked on his fingers while pushing down on his dick. It was a tight squeeze indeed, but as she dangled she felt herself dripping with eagerness to please the enticing duo. Nora clawed at Maxson's sturdy shoulders as she whimpered in his ear, and MacCready's closed one eye and exhaled hard, relieved as the tight ring encasing him was subdued to a more bearable pressure. “Ahhh—that’s better, right?” He responded, pushing deeper before taking a pause.

Sweat was already drenching the larger man’s brow. He wasn’t fatigued, he just wasn’t sure how to react to her devotion. It was powerfully arousing, but alarming nonetheless. In this particular moment, he felt shown up, and hated every second of it. It was no secret she was enjoying herself, grunting cheerfully with each stupefying bounce while her saliva slid down his fingers.

 

Arthur turned to his unimpeded partner. “Please. Can I take off the blindfold now?”

A surge of sensation coursed through MacCready, and he watched the anticipation on her face. “You’ve earned it, but I’m not sure if she has.. I don’t know Artie, what do you think?”

She waited patiently as a hand braced her lower jaw, brushing her chin with its gentle thumb. “Oh I think she has.” The woman’s face brightened up, nodding her head ardently.

Silent gratitude flooded her as her weight shifted to the man in front, while another carefully untied the article. For whatever reason, her heart dropped as she met eyes with Arthur, and his diaphoretic display drove her to a frenzy. He looked down at the soft pale legs he possessed, and her skin burned as his bright blue eyes cascaded over her form. It was impossible for Nora to stop herself from wrapping her arms around his neck, delightfully trapped between two avid lovers.

 

Another gasp escaped her as MacCready’s fingers clutched her once more. She took a deep breath before turning over her shoulder to face him, stricken with adoration. He caught her glance, and felt dazed from the flurry of emotions it caused. “I love you.” He declared, as his hair continued to fall over his unfaltering licentious gaze.

Had she died and gone to heaven? What god had she pleased to be blessed with such favor? Save for the long curly hair sticking to her hot back, she was certain that what she was experiencing was as close to perfection as one could achieve. “I love you more!” She gasped, as her legs tensed sporadically.

Her lower backbone grew stiff as the two men suspended her midair, arching her back to an uncomfortable degree. If anything, Nora was grateful for the fact that she didn’t get to watch before this point. In a tizzy of animalistic lust, she couldn’t hold back as she hissed from the unbearable pleasure.

 

She peeked at their reflection as both men attitudinized in accordance, each rightfully pleased with their workmanship. Letting go of Maxson’s brawny neck, her head fell back on MacCready’s shoulders, and she melted as Arthur smiled at her. In a fit of exhaustion she panted, “I hope you’re happy.”

His breathtaking chest rose and fell, but the smile on his face remained. Sweet-smelling air flooded his lungs, and he leaned forward to kiss between her collarbones. Slowly, his eyes met hers, and his baritone voice swirled through her head. “My Queen of the Commonwealth, you’ve made me the happiest man alive.”

Through teary eyes, she glanced down at his hips, watching his impressive dick slide in and out. “Fuck!” She nearly coughed, laughing with glee as she looked up to the chandelier that miraculously still hung in the room.

 

A gasp escaped the vault-dweller, and she tensed up in their grasp. “Oh! Oh my god!” She buried her face in the sniper’s neck while he relished in her choir, watching her legs convulse through the thrill. Upon finale, his glance crawled upwards, watching Arthur’s face twist as a result of her vice-like grip.

“Geez, not a race you guys.” He worked out, eyes fluttering while his arms quaked in weariness.

Strikingly enough, his taunting pushed Maxson further into the void as he began to thrust harder.

Not a moment too soon, his eyes lolled back open as an uneasy breath skittered out of him. He raced to pull out, gliding his stalk up between her legs and swiftly covering her abdomen with spatters of antherozoid. In an instant, he curled a hand around the small of her back, arching it away from RJ and pushing himself into her in a moment of pure indifferent bliss.

 

MacCready fought to look away, tormented as Nora’s sense of resistance fled her. What started with vengeful chagrin had devolved into his matron making a spectacle of herself, forcing her tongue into Elder Maxson’s mouth as he yanked at her hair. No longer was he able to deny the powerful chemistry between the two, and it made him bitterly resentful to be the bridge in their gap.

In a lapse of graciousness he snatched the magnificent amorist by the throat, feeling the muscles tense up in it, and with it the muscles around his member. Gasping for breath, he let out a raspy chuckle as her knees jerked up. Arthur showed distaste with the third member as her expression fell away, leaving a blank canvas as she diverted her energy to pushing against the other man’s cock. He looked down to the impressions the mercenary’s hands left in her soft skin, growing more pronounced as he squeezed tighter. His admiration fell to disbelief as he felt the unmistakable trail of discharge run down his leg, and his head jerked up. “You came inside.”

“Is there a _problem_ with that?” MacCready challenged.

Nora hushed them both. “Honey it’s fine. Bobby, don’t start. Let’s not mess up our newfound undertaking over something that isn’t that big of a deal. The two of us have an unspoken agreement that he can finish anywhere that doesn’t result in a baby. Okay?”

 

Without further conversation, Arthur loosened his grip on one leg, and she descended to the ground as she found her footing, the other foot following behind it. Evasively, she slipped from between the two, as they lingered in mutual animosity.

She turned back, and pulled MacCready by the hand, costing him the staring contest. “You two gonna glare at each other all night or come to bed?”

 

RJ followed obediently, as Arthur looked around for his uniform. Locating it and pulling it before himself he apologetically replied, “I really must be going. I spent most of what little spare time I have on the roof, and I don’t want to overstay my welcome.”

“Hump and dump? Classy as ever, Arthur.” The ex-merc prodded. “And when do you plan on coming back for our little dove?”

Nora swatted his arm with the back of her hand. “Play nice.”

“That _is_ nice. You wanna see not nice?”

“I do, actually. But we can save that for a rainy day.” She winked. “I can’t say I’m not curious myself, but if you mind your manners he might just surprise you.”

 

They turned in unison as the Elder buttoned his boxers, and pulled the flight suit from his shoulder. “Truth be told.. I didn’t have a set time. I also didn’t think this would work, I just knew that it had to. As soon as possible would be ideal. Mister MacCready already seems as if he’s not too fond of my haste, I can’t imagine that taking you with me tonight is on the table.”

Dramatically she turned to him, crossing her arms. “Well, Mister MacCready, what are my options?”

“I didn’t mean it like that-”

She hushed him. “Let me rephrase. What would it take for Arthur to get what he wants?”

 

His eyes went wide as he recognized her bartering on his behalf. Beyond all reason, she was prepared to go back to the Prydwen once more.

A sense of indignation flared up within MacCready, and he looked the woman up and down. “You’re gonna go back to the Brotherhood looking like you got fucked into surrender?”

“You say that like my last arrival had any more dignity. Did I ever tell you how I met my husband?” She flirted, as RJ rolled his eyes. “Yes. But making an impression on your parents and swaying barbarians are different beasts. No offense.” He gestured to Arthur.

“Some taken.” He crossed his arms. “I’m interested in how the story is relevant.”  
  
  
  
Through his pout MacCready answered, “Nate kidnapped her after he got her fired from her job. She blames the skimpy uniform.”

“I _thought_ he was going to kidnap me.” She corrected. “He drove me back home with the biggest smile on his face, and charmed my parents until they wouldn’t shut up about him. The point is that they knew he was a pervert, and he proved that he was more than just that. Besides, you know how I get around men who lack morals." She booped his nose, as he tried to melt her hand with his glare. "If we judged savants on their impulses alone, people would look at Ghandi a lot differently. Despite the fact that he was a creep, he'll be revered probably until the end of time for his political actions.”

He scoffed, “You’re comparing Arthur to Ghandi?”

“Hardly.” She laughed. “What I’m trying to say is, we’re not going to know what he’s capable of if we don’t ease up on the leash.”

  
  
“Yeah, well I think we need an insurance policy.” He argued. “If he changes his mind while you’re up there, we can’t do anything about it. I need a vertiberd at the very least to board the ship.”

“Done.” Arthur conceded.

 

RJ whined, “ _What?_ Wait. What about a pilot?” 

Nora wrapped an arm around his elbow. “Sturges can fly a vertiberd. He can work anything.”

MacCready was speechless. He tried to come up with any other rebuttal, shaking his head as Arthur spoke once more. “I’ll be right back, I think I have something else that will ease your mind.”  
  


In a few short minutes he returned, with a bag and a handful of items. He shoved a blueprint into RJ’s hands, as well as a key of rings. “These are the schematics for the Prydwen. Both mine and Nora’s quarters are marked for your convenience. Here are the keys for both rooms, and I’ll have a lancer drop off your vertiberd bright and early. That enough?”

RJ nearly burned a hole in the paper with his stare, and flashed it up to Elder Maxson. “Somehow I still feel stiffed here. You have these things at your disposal, and yet I’m handing over my only General. If something happens to her, that’s on me.” He swallowed. “I want something you’re going to miss.”

Nervously, Arthur’s heart began to pound. What was he asking for exactly? His curiosity was satisfied as MacCready spoke again. “Ten days is a long time, and a lot can go wrong. I think it’s only fair.. that I take your beard in exchange.”  
  


_“What?!”_ He demanded, as he found the tone Nora was used to hearing in the company of his subordinates. “Out of the question! An absurd suggestion at best!”

Nora’s simpering eyes wandered over to MacCready, and back to Maxson. “I think that’s fair, actually.”

He shielded his jaw as his gaze darted between the two. “Nora.. please don’t. I love this beard.”

  
  
She pulled out a pair of scissors and snipped them theatrically. “We don’t need the whole thing, just enough to make a point to the rest of the Brotherhood.”

“The point _being?”_ He sniveled in a surprisingly childish manner.

“That the Minutemen make do with the hand they’re given. This whole game you’ve been dealing the cards, I’ve got to redeem myself while I’m ahead. Consider this revenge for my arrest.” The woman winked as she twirled the shears derisively.

  
  
A smug MacCready stood behind her, as Arthur quietly took a seat on the chaise. “Comb.” She called out, taking a seat on his lap while still stark nude.

One was handed to her by the impromptu assistant, and she brushed out his facial hair nice and evenly. She carefully snipped away at the edges, trimming them down to the length of the comb. After what seemed like an eternity, she brushed the man off and stood up, admiring her handiwork. He looked at himself in the damask wall, running his fingers through what remained of his beloved beard. “The mustache too?”

“And leave it uneven? We’re not savages, Arthur.”

The bruise from her kick was starting to show, and he glared at MacCready’s reflection as they made eye contact. “Anything _else?”_

RJ chuckled, pleased with himself. “I’d say we’re about square.”

 

“One more thing.” Nora interrupted, and his head whirled over to her with wide eyes.

“Calm down, all I’m asking for is your time. I don’t know about you two, but I’m beat. It’d be a shame to let all this bed go to waste, don’t you think?” She brought her Pip-Boy up, looking at the clock. “Four hours. Then I’m all yours for ten days. What do you say?”

Elder Maxson caught her eye in the mirror while he mourned his signature facial hair. “I say.. fine. I’ve come this far. Only on your word that this is the _final_ condition.”

  
  
MacCready bellyached, “Can’t he just come back in four hours?” 

“No. This is his night, too. And after what we’ve put him through he shouldn’t go home empty handed.” She sighed as she grabbed his chin, mounting him once more.

“M-my night?” Elder Maxson asked in confusion. His nose tickled as she brushed against it, kissing him softly on the lips. The alcohol was still on her breath, and he basked in the heat.

The smile on her face grew wider, and she flashed her teeth at him. “Your night. And it’s high time we acted like it. What would you like to do next?”

His breathing grew loud, and he watched RJ as he circled the two like a shark. “If you don't mind, I would appreciate some rest. I’ve been awake for twenty-four hours as it stands.”

The General stood back up, and her counterpart grinned at the spot she left on his uniform. She extended a hand outward, and he kissed her knuckles, grabbing her hand while he used it to pull himself up.  
  


Four eyes watched fixedly as she crawled to the head of the bed, lazily throwing herself down on the pillows. They followed single-file behind her, each man taking a side. Arthur burrowed a fist beneath her pillow, his hand slipping through the other side and tickling her hair, while he kissed her head and pulled her close in his massive arms. MacCready encircled his arms around her waist, placing one hand on her chest while propping her legs up over his own.

Nora’s hand found the top of his head, and she tousled his shaggy mane while he tuckered out in a matter of minutes. Her heart was bursting with the smothering affection, furthered so as one lover snored, and the other drooled on her in his sleep.

Despite the dizzying high of being helplessly in love, she thought about Danse in a moment of weakness. He was out there, somewhere, cold and alone. In the meantime, she was curled up between the man who tried to kill him and the closest thing he’d had to a real friend in a while.. and it made her question herself. With a sigh, she gently pulled her boys closer, before forcing herself to get some well-needed shuteye.  
  


The tiniest crack of orange sunlight peeked through the window, but in a mirrored room it sparkled off of every precisely cut surface. Even with her eyes closed it was obnoxiously bright, and she tried to ignore the red glow under her eyelids as her waist was squeezed. “Psst.”

A smile came to her face, and she peeked one eye open to look down at MacCready. “Good morning.” She whispered.

The man twinkled back as she felt a distinct lump against her rear. “Morning, beautiful.”

“You’re insatiable.” She scoffed, winking at the man.

“Not true.” He objected. “I just need a minute before you leave.”  
  


Nora looked at the sleeping seraph on her left, before turning her glance back down to MacCready. “Oh alright. But be quiet, I don’t want to wake Arthur.”

His lips spread as her legs divided. “Quiet is my middle name.” 

Carefully he rocked his hips into position, as he used a hand to guide himself inside. Her fatigue melted away instantly as she felt the blood rush to her head, pulsing with euphoria as he stealthily fucked away his morning wood.

She couldn’t stop the squeak she produced, and his hand quickly covered her mouth to muffle any other outbursts.  
  


But it was too late. The noise she made roused Elder Maxson awake, and he looked down on the two as they continued to have sex right next to him. He groggily realized what was happening, and he dared not to intervene. Her eyes were clenched shut, and her partner focused on watching himself slide in and out of her. This wasn’t the same scene as the previous night. It was intimate, and dare he say.. gratifying.

Unexpectedly, RJ looked up, and Arthur pretended to be asleep while hoping he hadn’t been spotted. Luckily for him, he was safe, and MacCready continued rolling in and out. One eye opened, and he was surprised to see Nora on the verge of bursting. She clearly didn’t pay him any mind as her eyes crossed, placidly murmuring a drawn-out moan.

“Shhhhh.” MacCready hushed. “And you told me to be quiet.”  
  


The alarm on her Pip-Boy sounded, and he quickly pulled out, ejaculating as he deftly pushed himself to cum at a moment’s notice. On cue, Arthur pretended to jolt awake, hopping up on his elbow and rubbing his eyes.

“Good morning.” He grumbled. “Who turned on the lights?”

The woman giggled, turning to look up at him energetically before pulling him in for a kiss. Fondly he returned the notion, and only his beaming could break the lip lock. Arthur finally pulled away, rolling out of bed and zipping up his uniform. “I never did get to give you the rest of my offering.”  
  


Nora and MacCready’s eyes followed him to the end of the bed, picking up what she now recognized as her own backpack, and tossed it to her. “Scarf, vault suit, and of course your bag.”

Quickly she unbuckled the top flap and pulled out the articles, shuffling into them as she made the treacherous journey off of the colossal mattress. “Probably not the best time, but where is my rifle?”

Maxson held his hands together, before pulling them apart in a revelatory gesture. “You’re going to need it when we finally strike on the Institute, so I decided to leave it in your room as a precautionary measure.”

Both of their heads jerked up, and Nora excitedly asked, “Does that mean Liberty Prime is up and running?”

The Brotherhood commander pertly raised an eyebrow. “Nearly. But we can talk more about that when we return to the Prydwen. Would you like a lift back to Fort Independence, Mister MacCready?”  
  


“You’ve seen my dick, drop the ‘Mister’ already.” He insisted. “I don’t want anyone to see Nora flying off in your vertiberd, followed by being gifted one of my own. People are going to ask questions.”

Maxson pushed on. “So I’ll take you to the parking structure. This is a dangerous zone, and I assure you I won’t rest easy until you agree to let me facilitate your safe arrival home.”

The man groaned, realizing it would be a trip in and of itself to dissuade the man. “Just this once. Don’t think I’m getting soft on you, because I’m not. I just want to get home and go back to bed.”

Satisfied, Arthur gave a two-finger salute. “Whatever you say, MacCready. I’ll take any justification I can get.”


	7. Well-Read

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nora goes back to the Prydwen and has story time with Elder Maxson to kick off the rest of her sentence.
> 
> (Skip this chapter if you're here for smut)

Nora stepped off the vertiberd, and caught at least half a dozen shameless stares. It was only when she advanced to the flight deck that she realized the stares weren’t meant for her, but Elder Maxson. He narrowed his eyes at the gawking crew, which was enough prompting for them to return for their duties. “Misses Klain. I trust you know the way to your quarters. If you’ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to with Lancer-Captain Kells.”

Nora looked up at him, as he returned an anticipatory gaze. “Yes, sir.”

A single scribe looked back up, watching the woman as she flaunted her way down the catwalk. Maxson cleared his throat at him, and he resumed mopping with wide eyes on the floor.

 

She opened the door to Danse’s old quarters, and to no surprise it lay as barren as she last left it. With a palm to her forehead, she sighed. “I’m not sure what I was expecting. Two months, four days. Get a grip, Nora.”

The mattress squeaked as she collapsed on it and stared at the ceiling, with nothing but the rhythm of her breathing to keep her occupied. Looking over the room once more, she suddenly noticed the small stack of books sitting on Danse’s desk.

Nora bustled out of bed, and picked up the topmost one. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” She read aloud. Setting it to the side, she ran her fingers down the spine of the remaining novels, consisting of _The Red Badge of Courage, Nineteen Eighty-Four, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Once and Future King,_ and _Men Without Women._

The bottom copy was slid from underneath, and she picked it up. “Ernest Hemingway. Well.. at least now I know where these came from.”

Nora grinned as she cracked the dog-eared paperback. Thumbing through the pages, she shifted the blanket with her knees, crawling onto the bed and sitting cross-legged at the foot of it.

 

Time made itself lost on her, and halfway through “A Canary for One”, a thundering knock came against the metal door.

“Come in.” She called, eyeing over the top of the pages as the door opened up.

Nora made her own fold, turning it the opposite direction from each of the other page markers Arthur had made. “Proctor Ingram. It’s a pleasant surprise to see you.”

Squire Dexter followed behind her, trailing into the room with a large smile on his pink face.

“Squire.” She nodded fondly at the young boy.

Ingram waved. “All right, kiddo. You can geek now.”

 

Dexter slid her dinner tray onto the bedside table, and he pulled his fists up under his wide eyes. “You’re the bravest person I’ve ever met! I can’t believe you jumped from the Prydwen! Did you think you were gonna die? I heard even Elder Maxson was scared, and that _never_ happens!”

The power-armored woman crossed her arms as she listened to the boy ramble off his praises. “The kids have been talking up a storm about you. This one especially.”

“Well he’s my favorite squire.” She laughed as she ruffled his cap. “I had faith the water would break my fall. It wasn’t as brave as it was stupid.”

“You can say that again.” Ingram cocked her hips to one side. “I’ve seen boneheads shatter their ligaments jumping from this dirigible in power armor.”

Nora raised her eyebrows, yanking off her boot and displaying the scar from her tibia breaking through the surface. “It’s not like I walked away unscathed. I swam for my life like a busted bat out of hell.”

The boy gawked at her battle-scars, before Proctor Ingram tapped him lightly on the shoulder. “Alright Dex, I think it’s time to run along. I need to talk to Paladin Klain.”

He moped, but didn’t bother to challenge her authority. “I’ll see you in the morning.” The squire groaned, fixing his hat before slinking out of the room.

 

Once the door clapped behind him, Nora looked back up to her visitor. “I take it you came up here for more pressing issues than my fan club.”

She took a seat on the bed, and a heavy sigh whooshed out of her. “You’d be correct. I never got a chance to speak with you on your last.. stopover. Oh what the hell am I saying, when Maxson dragged you up here kicking and screaming.”

“Yeah.. I’ve had better moments.” Klain huffed, putting a palm to her face.

 

“I’m real sorry about what happened to Paladin Danse.” Ingram started, and Nora lifted her head in surprise.

“Don’t give me that look, I know you climbed that man like a tree the first chance you got.” She wagged her mechanical finger, furthering the confusion in Nora’s expression. “You’ve got guts, kid. Most people would think twice about making a move on their own commanding officer. I know it’s cliché, but you remind me a lot of myself, back when I was a spunky red-hot like you.”

The Paladin was speechless, without a single clue how to reply to Ingram. She wanted to say something to honor his memory, but didn’t want to somehow give away that he was still alive. “I.. I’m sure you made better decisions that didn’t get you into trouble.”

Proctor Ingram chuckled merrily. “I’m glad I give off that impression, but you couldn’t be more wrong. I’ve been with the Brotherhood for twenty-two years. That’s a lot of time to just window shop with the manpower, don’t you think?”

 

Nora let herself laugh, surprised as she was to hear such things from someone she previously pegged as a hardass. “I guess so. I barely made it a week. Two if you count pre-oath.”

The redhead glanced down at her prosthetic rig. “Which makes it even harder to imagine having to be the one to put him down. You two spent a lot of time together, and Maxson really went below the belt by sending you instead of, well.. a worthy opponent.” Ingram paused, watching Nora’s face. She wasn’t going to argue, they both knew she had no shot against Danse in a real fight. “Speaking of below the belt.. there’s talk around the yard that you’ve been knocking boots with the turncoat himself. As a woman of science, I figure I’d at least do you the justice of asking for your side of the story, instead of basing my opinion on rumors.”

She knew it was coming, and winced as confrontation reared its ugly head. “Yeah.. you could say that. When we went on our little excursion, I made a joke about it being a date. One could only imagine my surprise when it actually was one. All kidding aside, he was pretty slick, for being.. well.. you know.”

“Oh I’m not surprised. That boy could talk the legs off an iron pot. If there’s anything he’s good with, it’s that mouth of his. Mechanical work on the other hand, not his forte.”

Her face grew red. Ingram had no idea how right she was, and as the engineer caught her look she grew uncomfortable. “And on that note, my interest on this subject is starting to dwindle.. I’ve got orders from the top to give you your next assignment.”

 

The stiffness left Nora’s shoulders, and she asked, “Assignment? I thought I wasn’t supposed to be running field ops until we strike on the Institute?”

“That time is closer than you think, Paladin. Besides, Cole and Rhys can sit on it.” Ingram scoffed. “I don’t trust anybody else to get the beryllium agitator for Prime without screwing something up. You’ve proven yourself with delicate tasks thus far, but just to be on the safe side, I’m going with you. Maxson’s not gonna be happy about it, but I think that agitator might just sweeten him up a bit.” She winked.

The excitement of running an extraction with Ingram flooded Nora, and she perked up. “We better make damn sure we get it then. When do we leave?”

A hard, metal hand patted her on the back. “Enthusiastic as ever, cherry, but it can hold out for a little while longer. We’ll depart for Mass Fusion bright and early, because the second we get Liberty Prime running, we launch our assault on the Institute. So get some sleep, we’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

The metal frame of the bed creaked loudly as she stood back up, making her way to the door.

“Goodnight Ingram.” Nora called behind her.

Before she closed the door, she pointed a finger at the tray. “Your food’s getting cold. I know it’s not fine dining, but at the very least it goes down easier when it’s hot. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Nora pulled the tray to her lap, and got to work on the vegetable soup while she finished the short story. She slurped down the contents of her bowl when she heard another guest enter, this time without knocking.

 

“If I weren’t seeing it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe you were finishing a meal for once.” Arthur remarked.

The blonde looked up from her book, and beamed at Arthur as he took note of her first selection. “Dinner _and_ a show? I’m a lucky little prisoner.”

“Show?” He asked, looking behind himself in confusion.

“I meant you, stunner.” Nora rolled her eyes as she dropped the empty bowl on the table.

 

The fondness in her name-calling made his heart leap, and he ogled her legs as she crossed them on the bed. “How are you liking the book so far?”

“It definitely makes me think of you.” She teased.

He crouched at the bedside, riding his hands up her sensual thighs. “I hope that’s a good thing.”

“Mhm, sure.” She nodded her head before breaking his stare and looking to the books on the desktop. “Which one is your favorite?”

He tapped his fingers on her legs, eyeing the stack. “Guess.”

Nora scoffed, mulling over the rest of the collection. “Well since you put it that way.. I can’t imagine it being anything other than _The Once and Future King.”_

 

He used her knee as support to stand back up, walking over to the desk and casually flipping through the hefty novel. “Nothing gets past you, my clever Bluebird.”

Following after him, she closed the cover and furrowed her brow. “I hope that’s not a joke about keeping me in a cage.”

Maxson flashed his perfect pearly whites as he handed over the story of King Arthur. “Mhm, _sure.”_ He mocked. “You can actually thank Brandis for the witty nomenclature. According to him, you’d have to have wings to survive that fall.. and so the tale began. It’s nice to be a legend, isn’t it?”

“Well it’s not like I killed a deathclaw.. at thirteen.” She flirted. “Did you get any nicknames for that, _Arthur?”_

 

It was his turn to stew in her flattery, and he tugged at the collar of his uniform. “Did it get hot in here?”

“It’s been hot in here.” Nora laughed, walking her fingers up his armor. “You can lose the coat if it helps.”

The Elder rushed out of his jacket, and threw it over her chair before reaching for the zipper on her vault suit. To his embarrassment she pulled back, covering her neck as she did so.

 

“I.. I’m sorry. That wasn’t what I meant. I hope I’m not offending you when I say that I’m not exactly.. in the mood tonight.” She started.

“O-oh.” Arthur stammered awkwardly, spinning away abashed. “I can leave you be if you’d prefer to be alone..”

A small hand landed on the shoulder of his uniform, and she gently turned him back. “Don’t leave, it’s not you. Tomorrow has been weighing on my mind. In case you’d forgotten.. my son is still down there.”

“It had slipped my mind.” He admitted. “My apologies.”

 

Nora removed her hand and rubbed her eyes. “You don’t need to be sorry, I’d rather not think about it, either. Can I.. show you something?”

The Elder looked up in intrigue. “Please do.”

She nodded her head, pulling out the holotape she always kept on herself. “This is why I’m ready to fight the Institute. Why I have been ready since I left the vault.”

 

The Paladin took a deep breath before closing the tape deck on her Pip-Boy and hitting play. Her stomach sank as a man’s voice filled the room:

“Oops, haha. Keep those little fingers away.. Ah, there we go. Just say it, right there, right there, go ahead.”

A baby’s babbling came over the speaker, and she covered her mouth as he finally spit out, “Ma-ma!”

“Ah, yay! Hi honey, listen..

I don't think Shaun and I need to tell you how great of a mother you are. But, we're going to anyway. You are kind, and loving, and..”

*giggles*

“and funny! That's right. And patient. So patient, patience of a saint as your mother used to say.

Look, with Shaun and us all being home together it's been an amazing year, but even so I know our best days are yet to come. There will be changes sure, things we'll need to adjust to. I'll rejoin the civilian workforce, you'll shake the dust off your law degree.

But everything we do, no matter how hard, we do it for our family.

Now say goodbye Shaun. Bye bye, say bye bye.

Bye honey, we love you.”

 

When Arthur looked back up, her face was contorted into a deep sorrow, hardly able to contain her tears.

“Your husband?” He asked, though he hardly needed the confirmation.

She nodded her head solemnly, picturing that same sweet man with a hole in his head. “He wasn’t always the best husband, but he was an incredible father. I was very lucky to have him.” Nora swallowed as her voice cracked.

 

Arthur took her other hand, placing it over his heart. “I can’t bring back your husband, Nora.. but I can at the very least help you settle the score. Tomorrow, we’ll show the Institute what happens when their perverse scientific endeavors outweigh what’s really important. The Institute will be destroyed, and their reign of terror will be no more. You have my word.”

Crying harder, she collapsed in his arms, and he held her for awhile as she mourned everything the Institute took from her, which was everything she had left.

When she finally backed away, she sniffled before wiping her running mascara. “My son thinks the Institute is his home. He doesn’t know anything else. Life above ground is foreign to him, and I’m not sure which is more terrifying, the possibility of him dying in the attack, or that he won’t be able to fend for himself if he actually manages to make it out. This world.. What remains of it anyway.. it’s made to target the vulnerable. He’s so fragile.. he couldn’t possibly make it on his own.” She covered her eyes and began to wail over the child that she had still yet to lose. The matter wasn’t if anymore. It was when, and how.

“We can save him from the Institute.” Arthur insisted, and she did her best not to glare at his ignorance.

“I tried to save him from the Institute already. He refused to leave. And when I saw the comfortable, easy life he had down there, I didn’t blame him. It’s not his fault that he doesn’t see the point in saving this.. this _wasteland.”_ She motioned her arms to the ground. “It’s my fault for not being there to raise him better. I failed him as a mother. Just like I failed Nate as a _wife.”_  

 

The Elder was wounded by her words. For just a moment, he wondered if his efforts could ever measure up to her expectations. All the same, he concluded that the primary action here wasn’t self-pity. “I never knew your husband.. But I’m certain he would have given his life one thousand times over to have you as a wife, let alone bear his children. Elsewise he wouldn’t have given it trying to save Shaun. And as for your worthiness of motherhood, you’ve gone through hell and high water to actually accomplish the impossible. You found the Institute. He would be proud. I know I am.”

Her chest heaved as she choked back tears again. “You are?”

With sadness in his eyes, he smiled as he brushed the tear from her cheek. “I’m so proud of you, Nora. For decades, hundreds, if not thousands of people have had their very purpose ripped away from them by the likes of the Institute, with no idea where to begin looking. Then you came along.. some relentless, pretty little pre-war housewife.. and you showed these wastelanders that they have a fighting chance. As of tomorrow, they won’t have to worry about them or their loved ones being snatched in the night, only to be replaced by a synthetic copy. Sure, there’s still going to be super mutants, raiders, and monsters both big and small. But visible threats are no challenge to the Brotherhood. It’s much harder to fight something we can’t see. Thanks to you, we’ve got them in our sights, and we’ll blow them off the face of this planet for what they’ve done. That’s something to be proud of.”

He stopped as he felt her arms tangle themselves around his waist, and he brought her cheek to his body.

 

“What if we don’t survive the attack?” She whispered. “What if they gun us down, or worse?”

Nora’s head rose and fell with his chest, and he looked down to her. “Then that is our destiny, a destiny shared. But I’m not ready for the afterlife yet. I don’t want to have to explain to the great Roger Maxson why I let his bloodline die off.” He lifted her chin. “And the Institute has to get through _me_ before they can make the mistake of interfering with you, my five-foot fury.”

His reassurances finally got to her, and she cracked a smile as his fingers lovingly replaced the wisps of hair that came undone from its bun. “The great Roger Maxson?” She made a face before joking, “I only hope it wasn’t a self-proclaimed title.”

 

He scoffed. “Who knows, he died over a century before I was born. That’s not to say he never lived up to it.”

Nora pulled away from him, lying back down on the bed. “Come, tell me about him. How _great_ he was.”

His heart began to pound, and he crawled in next to her on the bed. “Where to begin?”

The blonde laid her head on him, and he told her the story of how the first High Elder assumed command at the Mariposa Military Base, starting with the execution of the scientists responsible for experimenting on POWs with the deadly FEV virus. He told of Colonel Spindel’s self-exile to his quarters, and his eventual suicide when the doors were forced in. These events were too traumatic to maintain the men’s loyalty, and the deciding factor when they each vowed desertion from the US Army. It was strange for Nora to hear the narrative of the bombs dropping from the perspective of someone who had only experienced them through generations of story-telling. Nevertheless, he still managed to put it into words better than she ever could, though for her it had only been a few months.

He took great care in detailing that because of Roger Maxson, the families of all the men stationed at the base survived when he ordered them inside of the facility, including his own. It was at this point that Arthur paused to emphasize that this instance of quick thinking is how he earned the title of “great.” Despite the horrid interrogations that ended with blood, despite the moments he questioned both his sanity and integrity, and despite even losing his beloved wife on the Exodus to the Lost Hills bunker, the great Roger Maxson knew his men needed direction, for without hope all would be lost. It was at this very bunker where the Brotherhood of Steel would be founded, whereupon the High Elder formed the Orders of Paladins, Knights, and Scribes.

As he tickled her back with his fingertips, he grinned as he looked down to find she had been lulled to sleep by his lengthy story, and he took the time to admire her. Less than an hour later, the timed lights clicked off, and he made the decision to share Nora’s quarters with her on the eve of the day they should both make history themselves.


End file.
